Forest officer8217;s transfer stayed

MUMBAI, June 18: The Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal MAT has stayed the transfer of Panvel Range Forest Officer Ramesh Pandurang Pakha...

MUMBAI, June 18: The Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal MAT has stayed the transfer of Panvel Range Forest Officer Ramesh Pandurang Pakhare, checkmating the state government8217;s move to relocate him in a non-executive post for his role in investigating the Rs 2,500-crore Panvel farmhouse scandal in Raigad district.

The order was delivered today, after a petition was filed by Pakhare in the morning. It also coincided with a report in Express Newsline June 18, 1998 which said the government had ordered the official8217;s transfer as a punishment posting for unravelling the modus operandi adopted by a section of Mumbai8217;s prominent builders in appropriating prime forest land.

After hearing Pakhare8217;s counsel, M D Lonkar, and V M Bendre, who represented the state government, MAT Member Judicial A R Vazalwar observed, 8220;In the circumstances, interim status quo as on today until the next date of hearing in so far as the applicant is concerned is hereby directed to be maintained.8221;

Pakhare has allegedthat 8220;malafide transfer orders were issued on behalf of Forest and Environment Minister Chandrakant Khaire without any administrative reason or public interest, much less transparent one8221;.The official8217;s transfer also came within six months of his posting at Panvel in violation of the Sena-BJP government8217;s revised guidelines which stipulated that no government official would be transferred during his three-year tenure in a single posting. Significantly, none of Pakhare8217;s superior officials had recommended his transfer.

The petitioner also says he was instrumental in taking cognisance of the Raigad land scandal and that authorities in the department had applauded his role. 8220;The directions to transfer have been issued on behalf of the hon8217;ble minister without there being any administrative or public interest. The petitioner has reliably learnt that following political pressure of one D N Bhat, who has been posted in his place, the transfer orders have been issued by the Chief Conservator of Forests, as heCCF has no choice than to abide by the directions of the hon8217;ble minister,8221; he alleges.

Pakhare also pointed out that during the transfer season, Range Forest Officers are transferred without any administrative or public interest, solely on the basis of fax messages issued from the office of Chandrakant Khaire to the Chief Conservator of Forests.

These officers are neither due for transfer nor is there any administrative interest to shift them. Thus far, at least 30 such orders have been issued for different circles, Pakhare elaborated.

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Pakhare8217;s own service record shows that for him transfers are more the rule than the exception. In 1997, he was transferred from the Mobile Squad to Panvel as Range Forest Officer. He was shifted within a week. He was subsequently shuttled between the Mobile Squad and Panvel Range for more than eight months before being given charge of the latter post in December 1997.