Biswas becomes state’s first woman forest force head
Currently posted as the chief executive officer of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Biswas has been given additional charge as PCCF, and the formal order for her appointment is likely to be issued later
Mumbai: Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Shomita Biswas became the state’s first woman forest force head on Wednesday as the incumbent Shailesh Tembhurnikar retired from service. Forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar congratulated her on the occasion, saying it was a matter of pride that the state has women as chief secretary, director general of police and now, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF).
Currently posted as the chief executive officer of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Biswas has been given additional charge as PCCF, and the formal order for her appointment is likely to be issued later, said sources.
Biswas, the seniormost IFS officer in the state, is the wife of retired IAS officer Samir Biswas. She holds an MSc from Delhi and has served several postings in the capital city, but returned to the state forest force a few years ago.
Earlier, in September 2023, IFS officer Sunita Singh looked all set to be appointed as the first woman chief of the state forest force till the BJP-Shiv Sena government decided to nominate Tembhurikar as they wanted a son-of-the-soil for the job. Although Singh moved the central administrative tribunal against the decision, she retired in April this year before any order could be passed.
Both Tembhurnikar, a 1987 batch IFS officer, and Vikas Gupta, head of the Forest Development Corporation Limited, retired on July 31 while PCCF (wildlife) Maheep Gupta is due to retire in August-end. Sanjeev Gaur has been given additional charge as Managing director of the Forest Development Corporation.