Agartala: In a significant administrative overhaul, the Government of Tripura has ordered the transfer and posting of 38 officers from the Indian Forest Service (IFS) and Tripura Forest Service (TFS) across various roles in the Forest Department. The changes come into immediate effect and will remain valid until further orders.
The notification, issued by Deputy Secretary S.K. Debbarma, outlines a broad reshuffle affecting both senior leadership and field-level administration, aimed at improving coordination and accelerating the implementation of key forestry and environmental projects.
Key Highlights of the Reshuffle
Mr R.K. Samal, IFS, currently serving as PCCF & HOFF and Principal Secretary (Forests), has been relieved of multiple additional charges, including:
- Chief Wildlife Warden
- CEO, CAMPA
- Member Secretary, Tripura Biodiversity Board
Mr P.L. Agarwal, IFS will continue as CEO & PD, SCATFORM Project, and will now additionally oversee:
- CAMPA implementation
- IGDC-CREFLAT Project operations
Mr Chaitanya Murti, IFS retains charge of the ELEMENT Project and assumes expanded roles:
- Chief Wildlife Warden
- Member Secretary, Tripura Biodiversity Board
- Nodal Officer, Forest Conservation Act (FCA)
Reassignments & Strategic Appointments
Dr. Honna Reddy, Mr R. Arun Kumar, and Mr Sanjib Das have been reassigned to different forest divisions, strengthening district-level leadership.
New Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) have been posted in-
- Dhalai
- Sepahijala
- South Tripura
- Khowai
Multiple Sub-Divisional Forest Officers (SDFOs) and Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACFs) have been posted to territorial ranges and project units, reinforcing on-ground capacity.
Strategic Repatriations & Project Roles
Mr R. Arun Kumar has been repatriated from the Handloom and Handicrafts Department back to the Forest Department.
Officers such as Mr Amit Debbarma, Krishna Gopal Roy, and Paushali Roy have been assigned key roles in externally aided initiatives like:
- SCATFORM (Sustainable Catchment Forest Management)
- ELEMENT (Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management)
Reform with a Focus on Sustainable Forestry
This reshuffle is viewed as part of a larger effort to streamline forest governance, ensure sustainable resource management, and enhance implementation efficiency of both national and internationally aided projects.
By reallocating experienced personnel to critical portfolios and districts, the government seeks to-
- Strengthen biodiversity protection
- Improve forest conservation
- Foster community participation in ecological sustainability
The move aligns with Tripura’s long-term vision of balancing ecological security with rural development and climate resilience.
