PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Saturday condemned the removal of Ravi Kant Upadhyay, IFS, as the head of forest force within five months of his appointment.
Mr. Upadhyay was posted as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and chairman, Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited (TAFCORN) and was replaced by H. Malleshappa as the head of forest force on Thursday. In a statement, Dr. Ramadoss said that Mr. Upadhyay was appointed after the image of the forest department took a beating in the aftermath of the death of 22 persons in a forest fire in Kurangani in Theni district.
Honest officer
An honest officer, he not only framed eco-tourism guidelines but also curbed violations and corruption in the forest department, Mr. Ramadoss said and charged that he had been suddenly shifted out to an insignificant post when he still had 10 months to go. Citing Supreme Court judgments, he said the departmental head, including the DGP should work continuously for two years to effect any kind of reform.
