In a significant reshuffle within the state’s administrative framework, the Gujarat government has appointed Anirudh Pratap Singh, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Force (PCCF & HoFF), as the managing director of the Gujarat Forest Development Corporation Limited, based in Vadodara. Concurrently, Dr. Jaipal Singh, Singh’s immediate subordinate, has been designated to assume the responsibilities of in-charge PCCF & HoFF “until further orders.”
This announcement was made through a notification from the Forests and Environment Department on Monday. Alongside Singh’s transfer, the notification included changes involving four other senior officers from the Indian Forest Services (IFS) within the state.
Anirudh Singh, who is a 1990-batch IFS officer from Gujarat, hails from Uttar Pradesh and has held the position of HoFF in Gujarat since January of the previous year. Dr. Jaipal Singh, a 1991-batch officer, is the next senior-most IFS officer in the Gujarat cadre after Singh. He currently serves as the PCCF for Wildlife as well as the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
This development has sparked interest, as it is uncommon for an HoFF to be succeeded by a junior officer in Gujarat.
Among the other officers affected by the transfer are Sandeep Kumar, Anshuman Sharma, Nisha Raj, and Sadik Sallauddin Mujawar.
Sandeep Kumar (2005) will transition from his role as the conservator of forests for the Vadodara Circle to the position of conservator of forests for the Working Plan in Gandhinagar.
Anshuman Sharma (2008), who is presently the managing director of the Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation Limited, has been appointed chief conservator of forests (Development & Management).
Nisha Raj, currently the conservator of forests for the Kevadia Wildlife Circle, has been given additional responsibilities as the Chief Conservator of Forests for the Vadodara Circle.
Sadik Sallauddin Mujawar is shifting from his position as the deputy conservator of forests for Administration in Gandhinagar to the role of deputy conservator of forests for PLO.
A senior government official described these changes as “administrative transfers.” Sources with knowledge of the matter indicated, under the condition of anonymity, that Anirudh Singh’s reassignment and Jaipal Singh’s appointment as his successor may be linked to enhancing Jaipal Singh’s candidacy for the Director General (Forest) position at the Central Government, as his name has reportedly been submitted for consideration for this high-ranking role.
Parimal A. Dabhi is the Chief of Bureau for The Indian Express, specializing in coverage of Gujarat. His extensive reporting delves into the intricate relationships between law, politics, social justice, and governance in the region.
