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ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ రాజపత్రము THE ANDHRA PRADESH GAZETTE PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
PARTI EXTRAORDINARY
G.3330 No.14
AMARAVATI , WEDNESDAY , JANUARY 4 , 2023
NOTIFICATIONS BY GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH ABSTRACT
Public Services Andhra Pradesh Forest Department Departmental Proceedings initiated against Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO ( Retd . ) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Range of Chittoor West Division , Chittoor Departmental Proceedings under Rule 20 of A.P.C.S. ( CC & A) Rules , 1991- Punishment of " 2% ( Two percent) cut in pension for a period of ( 1 ) one year" Imposed Final orders - Issued .
GO.Ms.No.90
ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS , SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ( Sec. IV) DEPARTMENT
Dated 23.12.2022 .
Read thefollowing:
1) From the PCCF & HoFF , A.P. , Guntur , Letter Ref.No.544 / 2018 /A& DC-1 , dated 04.11.2021 .
2) Memo. No.2208 / Sec.IV / A1/2021 , EFS &T ( Sec. IV) Dept. ,dt . 10.05.2022 .
3) From Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO ( Retd . ) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Range of Chittoor West Division , Chittoor , representation
dated16.06.2022 . 4) From the PCCF& HoFF , A.P. , Guntur , letter Ref.No.544/ 2018 /A& DC - 1 , dated 17.05.2022 .
5) Memo.No.2208 / Sec.IV /A1/ 2021 , EFS &T ( Sec.IV ) Dept. ,dt : 08.07.2022 .
6) From the PCCF & HoFF, A.P. , Guntur letter Ref.no.544 /2018 /A &DC- 1 , dated 19.10.2022 .
7) From the PCCF & HoFF , A.P. , Guntur , letter Ref.no.544/ 2018/A &DC -1 , dated 25.10.2022 .
8) Govt.Letter . No.2208 /Sec.IV/ A1 / 2021 , EFS &T ( Sec.IV) Dept. , dated
30.11.2022 and subsequent reminder dated 18.12.2022 .
9) From the APPSC, Vijayawada letter No.GAD03 - APPS0DCC / 122 / 2022- DC.SEC-APPSC ( Computer No.1932397 ) , Dated 21.12.2022 . **
Inthe letter 1st read above, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF, A.P. , Guntur has submitted the proposal in the disciplinary case initiated against Sri P. Govindarajan , Forest Range Officer ( Retd. ) , earlier ForestRangeOfficer , Punganur Range of Chittoor West Division , Chittoor.
2. Thefollowing Article of Charge was issued to Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO (Retd. ), earlier worked in Punganur Range by the PCCF & HOFF , A.P. , Guntur in Ref.No.544/2018 /Vig -1 , dated 23.06.2020 under Rule 20 of A.P.C.S. ( CC &A ) Rules, 1991: -
Article- 1: "That , Sri P. Govindarajan , Forest Range Officer while he wasworking in Punganur Range for the period from 26.07.2017 to 07.12.2019 , the villagers of Cheekalachenu (V) Sodum ( M ) dugout a canal of length around 1095Mts illegallyat Compartment no.142, Gummadidoddi RF, Gollapalle Beat , Avulapalle Section of Punganur Rangeduly encroaching forest land without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority in contravention of A.P Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Forest Range Orficer has failed to issue timely instructions to the subordinate staff for preventing the illegal activity of digging of canal in the Reserve Forest area and shown inaction and willful negligence in preventing the encroachment and booking of offence cases against the encroachers under A.P. Forest Act, 1967 and allowed them to do non - forest activity in Reserve Forest area violating the provisions of A P. Forest Conservation Act , 1980".
Ρ.Τ.Ο.
3. TheCharged Officer acknowledged the receipt of the Article of Charge on 25.06.2020 and submitted his explanation on 03.07.2020 . The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF , A.P. , Guntur appointed the Chief Conservator of Forests , WLM Circle , Tirupati as Inquiry Officer and the Divisional Forest Officer , Chittoor East as Presenting Officer in Proc.no.544/2018/Vig - 1 ( i ⅈ ) , dated 03.08.2020 , for conducting the regular enquiry.
4. TheInquiry Officer & CCF/CF . , WLM Circle , Tirupathi has completed the enquiry and submitted his findings along with connected case record in Rc.No.APCFW /134/ 2019 /M4 , dated 29.09.2021 , wherein the Inquiry Officer hasconcluded as follows: -
Findings:
On verification of documentary evidences , it clearly proves that the canal was grounded in the reserve forest areas in compartment No.142 of Gollapalli Beat of Avulapalli Section during the tenure of the ChargedOfficer . The delinquent officer has inspected the said location on 03.11.2017 and after field inspection ; the Charged Officer has issued a memo to the Forest Section Officer , Avulapalli Section on 04.11.2017 to book the case against the offenders . After that the Charged Officer neither pursued the matter with his subordinate staff nor submitted report to the higher authorities for not booking the case against the offenders . This clearly proves the inaction and negligent attitude of the delinquent officer in allowing the non - forestry activity in the Reserve Forest areas in violation of the provisions of Forest Conservation Act , 1980 and A.P. Forest Act , 1967 .
Conclusion: -
Based on the above analysis and findings , it is concluded that the charges leveled against the Delinquent Officer is held proved .
5. The findings of Inquiry Officer were communicated to the Charged Officer in PCCF & HoFF Ref.No.544/2018 /A & DC - 1 , dated 03.10.2021 and requested the Charged Officer to submit his further defence statement , if any, on the inquiry report of the Inquiry Officer within ( 15 ) days from the date of receipt of the notice . The Charged Officer has acknowledged the receipt of the final notice on 06.10.2021 and submitted his further defence statement , wherein he has not submitted any new /fresh points .
6. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF has reported that since the Charged Officer has retired from Government Service on attaining the age of superannuation on 30.06.2020 , the Government alone are competent to finalize the disciplinary case , under Rule 9 of Andhra Pradesh Revised Pension Rules , 1980 .
7. After careful examination of the matter , it has been provisionally decided to impose a punishment of " 2 % ( Two percent ) cut in pension for a period of ( 1 ) one year " against Sri P. Govindarajan , Forest Range Officer (Retd . ) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Range of Chittoor West Division , Chittoor . Accordingly a Show- cause notice was issued to the Charged Officer in Memo . 2nd read above and the Charged Officer has submitted his explanation dated 16.06.2022 .
Contd... 3 8. Oncommunication , the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF in his letter 6th read above , among other facts, has stated that irrespective of the discrepancy in the length of the canal grounded , it is clearly proved the inaction of the charged officer in allowing the non forestry activity in RF area not getting the cases booked by the subordinate staff against the offenders and not reporting the matter to the higher officer about violation of the provisions of Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and A.P. Forest Act , 1967.
9. After careful examination of the entire issue, the Government have confirm the provisional decision i.e. , " 2 % (Two percent ) cut in pension for a period of (1 ) one year " against Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO ( Retd . ) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Range of Chittoor West Division , Chittoor , under Rule 9 of Andhra Pradesh Revised Pension Rules , 1980 .
10. On communication the Secretary, APPSC in his letter 9th read above has stated that after careful examination of the disciplinary case in the light of records made available , Commission agreed with the proposal of the Government to impose the penalty of " 2% cut in pension for a period of one year" against the charged officer namely Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO (Retired) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Range of Chittoor and advised accordingly .
10. After careful examination of the entire matter , Government hereby order to impose a punishment of " 2% cut in pension for a period of one year" against the charged officer namely Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO ( Retired ) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Range of Chittoor under Rule 9 of A.P. Revised Pension Rules 1980.
11. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF , A.P. , Guntur shall takenecessary action accordingly.
(BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF ANDHRA PRADESH )
NEERABH KUMAR PRASAD SPECIAL CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT
To Sri P. Govindarajan , FRO ( Retired ) , earlier Forest Range Officer , Punganur Rangeof Chittoor through the PCCF & HoFF , A.P. , Guntur . ThePrincipal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF , A.P. , Guntur.
Copy to
TheAccountant General (A& E) , Andhra Pradesh , Vijayawada . TheDirector of Treasuries & Accounts , Ibrahimpatnam , Vijayawada. TheSecretary , A.P. Public Service Commission , Vijayawada . The OSD to M ( Energy , EFS& T, Mines &Geology) . The Secretary to A.P. Vigilance Commission , A.P. Secretariat , Velagapudi . The PS to the Special Chief Secretary to Government , EFS&T Department . SF/SC (Computer No.1562516) .
// FORWARDED BY ORDER//
SECTION OFFICER