Fought for justice, not power, says Rajiv Bhartari after taking over as PCCF

Uttarakhand high court had on Monday directed the state government to reinstate Bhartari as principal chief conservator of forests (Head of Forest Force Uttarakhand) on Tuesday at 10am

Uttarakhand forest department’s headquarters in Dehradun witnessed chaotic scenes on Tuesday for nearly three hours, when Rajiv Bhartari reached the office to take charge as principal chief conservator of forests (Head of Forest Force Uttarakhand).

When Bhartari reached the office around 9:45am, he was told by the staff that they did not have the keys of the office. (IFS Association | Twitter)

When Bhartari reached the office around 9:45am, he was told by the staff that they did not have the keys of the office.

Uttarakhand high court had on Monday directed the state government to reinstate Bhartari as principal chief conservator of forests (Head of Forest Force Uttarakhand) on Tuesday at 10am.

“I said I have to take charge according to HC orders. As the keys were not given, I went to another room and waited there. Finally, around 1:30pm, the government order about my reinstatement came and I was given the keys. Following this, I took charge as HoFF”, he said.

On winning the legal battle and getting reinstated, Bhartari said, “I feel satisfied. I fought the legal battle, not for power or office, but to get justice. I have always worked hard and contributed to the best of my capacity for improving the functioning of the department and I will continue to work tirelessly and honestly for the betterment of our department”.

Bhartari is set to retire on April 30 this year.

The HC on March 15 had issued a notice to chief secretary SS Sandhu, principal secretary forests RK Sudhanshu and the then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) Vinod Singhal on a petition filed by Rajiv Bhartari, currently chairman Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board, on why he was not being reinstated as PCCF Uttarakhand in line with the February 24 order of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Allahabad (Nainital Circuit).

HT tried to get a response from the former HoFF Vinod Singhal on the developments, but he was not available for comments.

CAT Allahabad Bench on February 24 had ordered to reinstate Rajiv Bhartari as PCCF/HoFF Uttarakhand after he was transferred from the post in November 2021.

Bhartari, a 1986 batch IFS officer, was posted as PCCF Uttarakhand on December 31, 2020 and transferred on November 25, 2021, to the post of Chairman, of Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board. Bhartari had challenged his transfer order before the CAT, stating that the post of the Chairman, Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board is normally occupied by the Joint Secretary Level Officer and that his transfer has been made before the minimum prescribed tenure of two years, thus violating the IFS (Cadre) Amendment Rules, 2014.

On March 20, CAT, Allahabad (Nainital Circuit) had dismissed the review petition filed by the Uttarakhand government against CAT’s February 24 order in which the Tribunal had ordered to reinstate Bhartari as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF)/Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Uttarakhand after he was transferred from the post in November 2021.