The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Forest College students go on strike

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Sunday, Nov 22, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Forest College students go on strike

Staff Reporter

They seek recruitment prospects for B.Sc Forestry graduates as Forest Rangers (Apprentices)

Earmarking 25 per cent of the posts in the Forest Department recommended
But no Government Orders issued in this connection

Coimbatore: Seeking recruitment prospects for B.Sc Forestry graduates as Forest Rangers (Apprentices), students of the Forest College of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University have commenced an indefinite strike on Saturday.

The students pointed out that the National Commission on Agriculture recommended that the agricultural universities in the country should take up Forestry Education in order to meet the manpower needs of Forestry. Based on this, the Department of Environment and Forestry, Government of India, took the initiative to start B.Sc (Forestry) programme in State Agricultural Universities.

Accordingly, 14 agricultural universities started B.Sc Forestry programmes. As per the State Planning Commission recommendations of 1972, the TNAU also started a four-year professional degree during 1985-86 and M.Sc Forestry in 1989-90.

Admission to the course was done based on Common Entrance Examination conducted by the government till the recent past. Students were also asked to have minimum physical standards prescribed by the Forest Department for recruitment.

Demands of the students had been discussed over the years and detailed proposals were sent to the government to take a policy decision to give preference to Forestry graduates in the recruitment to various positions available in the Forest Department (as Forest Rangers and Assistant Conservators of Forest).

The government referred the issue to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). The university was communicated that the PCCF had recommended 25 per cent of the posts in the Forest Department may be exclusively earmarked for B.Sc and M.Sc Forestry students. However, as of now no Government Orders were issued in this connection.

Appointing apprentices, who were non-forestry graduates selected by TNSPC and giving two-year training at Rangers Training College would only result in waste of the government money besides injustice to qualified Forestry graduates.

The B.Sc Forestry course was prepared by experts and six-month Forest Range training was also given to the students.

These adequately trained Forestry professionals with scientific knowledge in modern conservation and management strategies would be able to fulfil the present and future management needs in the forestry sector.

The Forest Policy of 1988 stressed the need for professionally qualified persons in managing forestry sector. Convinced of the importance of Forestry professionals, Jammu and Kashmir had 100 per cent reservation, Karnataka had revised it to 80 per cent from 50 per cent and it was 50 per cent for Assistant Conservator of Forests), Kerala 25 per cent, Bihar 50 per cent, Orissa 25 per cent, Haryana 70 per cent and Himachal Pradesh 70 per cent reservation for Forestry graduates.

The students had filed a writ before the Madras High Court demanding reservation on September 24, 2009 and the court had sought a reply from the State Government within 12 weeks. But as on date, the Tamil Nadu State Public Service Commission had published an advertisement stating direct recruitment of 80 vacancies to the post of Forest Apprentices through TNPSC examinations.

Under such circumstances, the students had begun an indefinite strike from Saturday to draw the attention of the government towards the 25-year-long pending demand on direct recruitment as Forest Rangers. The students had planned to submit a petition to the District Collector on November 23 addressed to the Chief Minister.

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