J&K Govt Transfers 10 Officers in Forest Department Reshuffle; Chaturbhuj Behara Appointed PCCF (Wildlife)
In a major administrative reshuffle, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday ordered the transfer of 10 officers, including six Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers, in the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment. The changes were announced through an official order issued by Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner/Secretary of the department, and include fresh postings as well as additional charges across divisions related to wildlife, social forestry, pollution control, and eco-tourism.
Senior IFS Officers Assigned Key Roles
Chaturbhuj Behara (IFS, AGMUT 1996):
Currently serving as Director of the J&K Forest Research Institute, Behara has been given additional charge of PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr. V. S. Senthil Kumar (IFS, AGMUT 2005):
Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, will hold additional charge of Regional Wildlife Warden Jammu until further orders. He will also continue as Regional Director, Social Forestry Jammu during the maternity leave of the concerned officer.
Vanjulavalli Sridhar (IFS, AGMUT 2012):
Appointed as Conservator of Forests, Research Circle.
Shaveta Jandial (IFS, AGMUT 2013):
Transferred from Regional Director, Pollution Control Committee Jammu, and posted as Regional Director, Social Forestry Department, Jammu.
Jyotsana (IFS, AGMUT 2013):
Moved from Regional Wildlife Warden Jammu to Chief General Manager (Eco-Tourism & Diversification), JKFDCL.
Suresh Manda (IFS, AGMUT 2016):
Transferred from Chief General Manager (Planning & Projects), JKFDCL, to Regional Director, Pollution Control Committee, Jammu.
Transfers Among Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF)
Zubair Ahmad Shah: From GM, South Extraction Circle (JKFDCL), to Joint Director, Soil & Water Conservation, Kashmir.
Hitashi Sharma: From Deputy Director, Forest Protection Force Udhampur, to DFO, Social Forestry Division Kathua.
Vijay Kumar Verma: From DFO Mahore Forest Division, to DCF (Monitoring & Evaluation), Social Forestry.
Safeer Hussain: From DFO Social Forestry Jammu, to Regional Director, Pollution Control Committee Kashmir.
Abhijeet Joshi: From in-charge Regional Director, PCC Kashmir, to General Manager (Administration), JKFDCL.
Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone: In-charge DCF (Wildlife) and DCF (Coordination & Evaluation), Social Forestry, will additionally serve as Project Coordinator (Biodiversity & Livelihood) under WUCMA.
Transfers Among Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF)
Ashok Kumar Kalsi: From DFO Social Forestry Division Kathua, to DFO Social Forestry Division Jammu.
Sudershan Singh: Awaiting posting orders, now assigned as DFO Mahore Forest Division.
Administrative Objective
Officials indicated that the reshuffle is part of routine administrative changes aimed at strengthening forest governance, wildlife protection, eco-tourism development, and environmental management in Jammu and Kashmir.
By redistributing responsibilities across wildlife conservation, pollution control, social forestry, and forest development corporations, the government seeks to streamline operations and enhance institutional efficiency.
