Citizens: Retain IFS Officer Manoj Kumar #WeNeedManoj Back as Member Secretary KSPCB
Citizens: Retain IFS Officer Manoj Kumar #WeNeedManoj Back as Member Secretary KSPCB
The Issue
Problem
Manoj Kumar, Member Secretary KSPCB is being abruptly transferred .
Solution
We need Manoj Kumar Member Secretary to continue his good work for the state & civic situation on Waste, Health and Environment. He has been instrumental in formulation and implementation of SWM Rules 2016.
He has been transferred abruptly when he put the reality of waste mismanagement by BBMP (in connivance with garbage mafias) in front of High Court.
KSPCB, headed by him has issued show cause notices to the civic body while recommending criminal prosecution of officers concerned for violation of environmental laws.
An official should have a definite tenure of min 3 years to have impact. Abrupt transfer of the official within 18 months, and being kept without new charge shows that the only intention of the govt was to remove him from the KSPCB in a hurry!
Our demand is to follow due process, follow the law, allow officials their full terms as per law.
Do you understand why we citizens want to fight to retain him? Frequent bureaucratic shuffles on sensitive and regulatory posts can wreak havoc & cause damage to life and property.
About Mr Manoj Kumar
Manoj Kumar is unarguably one of the finest forest officers in Karnataka.
His reputation is as good as pure gold..
He works untiringly 24/7 for the cause of people, despite bureaucratic hurdles.
Wherever he is assigned, he leaves an indelible mark of integrity, hard work, camaraderie and achievement.
He doesn't flinch even when there is mounting political pressure to do something against the law of the land. He has never cowed down to the political might of some corrupt ministers and MLAs.
In 21 years of service as an Indian Forest Service officer, he has had an unblemished record. Only a few IFS officers can place their hands on their heart and profess sincerity.
As long as he was in Kali Tiger Reserve (then Dandeli TR) and Sirsi Circle (division), the Western Ghats was protected without compromise, until 2011.
Since then, the south-western region of the Western Ghats has been ruthlessly plundered by our greedy, imbecile politicians.
Swathes and swathes of pristine forest land have been been decimated to sate the ego of some politicians. Neither high-ranking forest officers nor people have protested unitedly.
One look at the Forest Survey of India or Google maps will reveal the density of tree cover over the last ten years.
Evidently, forest officers who took charge after Manoj Kumar's two-year stint in Sirsi, have been reduced to wood cutters!
Yeddyurappa government posted Manoj Kumar as CCF of Sirsi circle (order dated 9. October 2019).
Happy to serve anywhere the government posts him, he travelled to Sirsi. But he wasn't allowed to take charge as an officer, who is not in the CCF rank, used political clout to retain his position. Yatish Kumar was himself a good officer. But...
Now, Manoj Kumar, one among the best in the IFS cadre, has returned to his home in Bangalore.
It is quite shameful that the head of forest force, Punati Sridhar, did not dare to question the government's imprudence. He should have stood up for his honest officer. But...
Manoj Kumar, not long ago had been recommended by senior IAS officers, including Mr. Vijay Bhaskar and handpicked by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswsmy to serve in the Karnataka Pollution Control Board (most polluted office in Karnataka), has not been given any posting yet.
Sources in the BJP aver that some big men in the party were the reason for belittling a champion forest officer, who once arrested the Sirsi Town Municipal for a forest offence.
As tax-paying citizens of Karnatakaa are we to let our politicians do what they wish to do, much against our fragile future.
The story is similar of a lot of upright, harassed officers. They just bide their time, until frustration gets the better of them. Some quit. Some approach the KAT (Karnataka Administrative Tribunal) for relief.
Should we turn a blind eye?
Should we protest to protect our own interests?
We citizens are carefully watching this bureaucratic bungle & starting to wonder why exactly shuffles happen. He cares about the state, and the issues, not about his seat ; he seems very clear, committed & principled. So maybe someone doesn’t like him , or someone isn’t reaping the benefits of waste management, as earlier ? Who knows ? Who cares? We DO!
But know this - if you transfer him, the city and state loses. And I don’t want to be the person saying ‘ I Told You So’ when it happens. I really don’t .
So what are we going to do about it? #WeNeedManoj
2,769
The Issue
Problem
Manoj Kumar, Member Secretary KSPCB is being abruptly transferred .
Solution
We need Manoj Kumar Member Secretary to continue his good work for the state & civic situation on Waste, Health and Environment. He has been instrumental in formulation and implementation of SWM Rules 2016.
He has been transferred abruptly when he put the reality of waste mismanagement by BBMP (in connivance with garbage mafias) in front of High Court.
KSPCB, headed by him has issued show cause notices to the civic body while recommending criminal prosecution of officers concerned for violation of environmental laws.
An official should have a definite tenure of min 3 years to have impact. Abrupt transfer of the official within 18 months, and being kept without new charge shows that the only intention of the govt was to remove him from the KSPCB in a hurry!
Our demand is to follow due process, follow the law, allow officials their full terms as per law.
Do you understand why we citizens want to fight to retain him? Frequent bureaucratic shuffles on sensitive and regulatory posts can wreak havoc & cause damage to life and property.
About Mr Manoj Kumar
Manoj Kumar is unarguably one of the finest forest officers in Karnataka.
His reputation is as good as pure gold..
He works untiringly 24/7 for the cause of people, despite bureaucratic hurdles.
Wherever he is assigned, he leaves an indelible mark of integrity, hard work, camaraderie and achievement.
He doesn't flinch even when there is mounting political pressure to do something against the law of the land. He has never cowed down to the political might of some corrupt ministers and MLAs.
In 21 years of service as an Indian Forest Service officer, he has had an unblemished record. Only a few IFS officers can place their hands on their heart and profess sincerity.
As long as he was in Kali Tiger Reserve (then Dandeli TR) and Sirsi Circle (division), the Western Ghats was protected without compromise, until 2011.
Since then, the south-western region of the Western Ghats has been ruthlessly plundered by our greedy, imbecile politicians.
Swathes and swathes of pristine forest land have been been decimated to sate the ego of some politicians. Neither high-ranking forest officers nor people have protested unitedly.
One look at the Forest Survey of India or Google maps will reveal the density of tree cover over the last ten years.
Evidently, forest officers who took charge after Manoj Kumar's two-year stint in Sirsi, have been reduced to wood cutters!
Yeddyurappa government posted Manoj Kumar as CCF of Sirsi circle (order dated 9. October 2019).
Happy to serve anywhere the government posts him, he travelled to Sirsi. But he wasn't allowed to take charge as an officer, who is not in the CCF rank, used political clout to retain his position. Yatish Kumar was himself a good officer. But...
Now, Manoj Kumar, one among the best in the IFS cadre, has returned to his home in Bangalore.
It is quite shameful that the head of forest force, Punati Sridhar, did not dare to question the government's imprudence. He should have stood up for his honest officer. But...
Manoj Kumar, not long ago had been recommended by senior IAS officers, including Mr. Vijay Bhaskar and handpicked by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswsmy to serve in the Karnataka Pollution Control Board (most polluted office in Karnataka), has not been given any posting yet.
Sources in the BJP aver that some big men in the party were the reason for belittling a champion forest officer, who once arrested the Sirsi Town Municipal for a forest offence.
As tax-paying citizens of Karnatakaa are we to let our politicians do what they wish to do, much against our fragile future.
The story is similar of a lot of upright, harassed officers. They just bide their time, until frustration gets the better of them. Some quit. Some approach the KAT (Karnataka Administrative Tribunal) for relief.
Should we turn a blind eye?
Should we protest to protect our own interests?
We citizens are carefully watching this bureaucratic bungle & starting to wonder why exactly shuffles happen. He cares about the state, and the issues, not about his seat ; he seems very clear, committed & principled. So maybe someone doesn’t like him , or someone isn’t reaping the benefits of waste management, as earlier ? Who knows ? Who cares? We DO!
But know this - if you transfer him, the city and state loses. And I don’t want to be the person saying ‘ I Told You So’ when it happens. I really don’t .
So what are we going to do about it? #WeNeedManoj
2,769
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Petition created on 17 October 2019