Mr. Susanta Nanda, PCCF (Wildlife), retired on Saturday, paving the way for senior IFS officer Prem Kumar Jha to take charge as the new PCCF (Wildlife) in an additional capacity.
A 1989-batch IFS officer, Nanda has held the position of PCCF (Wildlife)-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden since November 2023. Despite his brief tenure, he introduced several reforms in the wildlife sector. His notable contributions included implementing AI cameras for forest monitoring and facilitating the translocation of two tigers from Central India to Similipal to enhance genetic diversity in the tiger reserve.
Under his leadership, Odisha became the first state to appoint judicial magistrates as special courts for wildlife-related cases. Additionally, he made it a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, to take selfies or pictures with scheduled wild animals, their carcasses, body parts, or trophies.
Mr. Jha, a 1993-batch IFS officer and currently serving as Director of Environment-cum-Special Secretary in the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department, has been given the additional charge of PCCF (Wildlife)-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden.
