SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department on Tuesday ordered the transfer and reassignment of 10 Range Officers and Foresters, with several officials being given look-after charge of forest and wildlife ranges across Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri, Reasi and other areas.
The transfers were ordered with immediate effect through Forest Order No. 262 of 2026, issued on September 29 by the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HoFF, J&K.
Under the order, Mahesh Abrol, Range Officer, has been placed at the disposal of the Regional Wildlife Warden, Jammu, from Sudh Mahadev Range, Wildlife Division, Jammu.
Pawan Sharma, Forester, who was serving as In-charge Range Officer at Jambu Zoo, has been assigned the look-after charge of Jasrota Range in Kathua Forest Division, replacing Munish Gupta-II.
Varinder Singh Salthia, Forester and In-charge Range Officer of Jindrah Range, Jammu Forest Division, has been assigned Nowshera Range in Nowshera Forest Division against an available vacancy.
Surinder Singh Chib, Forester and In-charge Range Officer, Soil Range Batote, has been assigned Sudh Mahadev Range, Wildlife Division, Jammu, in place of Abrol.
Munish Gupta-II, Forester and In-charge Range Officer, Jasrota Range, has been shifted to the Anti-Polythene Check Post at Lakhanpur in Kathua Forest Division, replacing Sanjeev Singh.
Naseer Ahmed Malik, Forester and In-charge Range Officer, Agrostology Range Udhampur, has been assigned Kalakote Range in Rajouri Forest Division, replacing Mohammad Rafi.
Mohd Saleem Choudhary, Forester, presently posted in the office of the PCCF and HoFF, J&K, has been assigned Batote Range in Batote Forest Division in place of Kushal Singh.
Surjit Singh, Forester and Block Officer, Sumah Block, Jammu Forest Division, has been assigned Agrostology Range Reasi, relieving Amit Gupta of the additional charge.
Kushal Singh, Forester and In-charge Range Officer, Batote Range, has been posted to Jambo Zoo in place of Pawan Sharma.
Ali Mohammad Mir, Forester (SF Borne), presently in the office of the Director, Social Forestry Department, has been assigned Social Forestry Range, Basholi, against an available vacancy.
The order states that the arrangements will not give the incumbents any right to preferential consideration for promotion, which will be governed by the applicable rules.
It also makes the transfers subject to the outcome of any writ petitions pending before courts of competent jurisdiction.
Officials displaced from their existing posts but not assigned a new posting under the order have been directed to report to their respective Heads of Department until further orders.
