Jharkhand News: Vacant ranger posts in PTR spark opposition to rehiring retirees

THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK

Daltonganj, Feb, 14: Five of the eight ranges of Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) are without regular rangers. But the public mood is dead against the re-employment of the retired rangers and foresters.

The ranges that have fallen vacant of rangers in the PTR are Chhipadohar East and Betla in the north division and Garu West, Bareysarn and Mahuadanr in the south division of PTR.

Although five ranges have fallen vacant of the rangers, only two were there managing these five ranges.

The posts have gone vacant because of the retirement of the rangers namely Tarun Kumar Singh and Shankar Paswan.

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Tarun used to hold three ranges Garu West, Bareysarn and Mahuadanr. Shankar Paswan had Betla and Chhipadohar East ranges.

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Retired rangers had ignorant attitudes toward public

Sources said these retired rangers had a reputation for ignoring the common man. These retired rangers would refuse to hear even mediapersons’ phone calls. When in government service these behaved like a rule of themselves, said sources.

The state forest, environment and climate change department is to take a final call. The department has limited scope. There is a serious crunch of foresters and rangers and retirements further deepen the crisis.

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But whatever crises must be, the ‘retake’ of the retired rangers and foresters must be avoided in the larger interest of the jungles and the people living there.

Calls for new approach to staffing

Sources said there is a serious shortage of lecturers in the state universities but nowhere any retired teacher has been inducted as part of re-employment.

A similar practice be adopted in the forest service where a retired forester or retired ranger is rested and not taken on even a month’s contract. Lessons should be taken to avoid further damage to the jungles and wildlife.

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Sources said there is a department in the USA called DGE. It stands for Department of Government Expenditures. The DGE is against any reemployment of the retired be he or she be of any stream police or public affair.

Sources reminded that those whose stint in government services has not been above scrutiny of integrity, must not be given any reemployment as it is a kind of restoration of dubious integrity which a popular government should avoid.