Minister determined to make Forest Dept corruption-free

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Forests, Wildlife and Fisheries Provincial Minister Mian Yawar Zaman on Tuesday said that a comprehensive strategy has been evolved to decide inquiries pending since long and corrupt officers will be taken to their logical end.

He expressed these views while talking to media persons in his office. The government is determined to modernise Forest Department and effective measures are taken to turn it into a self-sufficient body, he added.

He expressed his determination to make the department corruption-free.

He said that theoretically the department was supposed to plant about two crore forty lakh saplings every year under Monsoon and Spring Tree Plantation Campaigns but practically this had not been done so far, to ensure the plantation he would tour the whole province and check the sapling planted during plantation campaigns, he added.

He said that in future while preparing working manual regarding tree plantation, the cost of the project and earning of revenue after its completion should be a part of the project.

He directed the saplings being planted under tree plantation campaigns to be checked through Geographic Information System and if any malpractice or irregularity is found in this connection, stern action should be taken against those responsible.

He said that a policy is being devised about those officers who belong to lower ranks but are working on higher posts and such officers would be brought back to their posts. The promotion of corrupt officers and officials would also be stopped and only those officers who have good repute would be promoted, he added.

Yawar Zaman said that in order to counter such cases in which officers are found guilty, an amendment in service rules is being considered seriously so that corrupt elements could be removed from the department.