Srinagar, May 1: The High Court has stayed the recruitment of diploma holders for the posts of Working Plans and Demarcation of Forests (WPDF) in Forest department till next hearing scheduled after two weeks.
 Court of justice, Mansoor Ahmad Mir while hearing a petition of Forestry degree holders seeking quashment of an advertisement notice for recruitment of diploma holders in Forestry said, “Subject to objections of the State Government, operation of the advertisement notice shall stay till next date of hearing.”
 On April 25, Forest Department in an advertisement notice said it was in need of qualified manpower for preparation of Working Plans and Demarcation of Forests. “The candidates having Diploma in Forestry from any recognized Rangers/College may appear in person before the Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir for submitting their bio-data and assessment of their aptitude for the Working Plan preparation from April 25 to April 29. The candidates from Jammu have to be present in person before CCF, Jammu.”
 It said the engagement was required for specialized technical job and shall be need based in the project mode. “Working Plan Preparation and Demarcation duties require extensive touring in remote areas and in-depth knowledge of the subject,” it said.
 However, a group of B. Sc Forestry and postgraduates students got aggrieved with the notice. They challenged the notice through a petition filed before the court. They questioned the department for employing the diploma holders and leaving the degree holders unemployed.
 They said at least 500 unemployed degree holders were in Kashmir and Government was turning blind eye towards them.
 “We have spent years together in different reputed colleges for our degrees with a hope of employment. But, government is employing diploma holders, who study the subject for few months only,” they said.
 The degree holders filed the petition through advocate Hilal Ahmad Wani, who termed the recruitment “illegal” and in violation of rules.
 After hearing the petition court issued notice to the Government and sought objections from it within two weeks.
 Pertinently, last year the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest in a letter to chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, to personally intervene to ensure that vacant posts at grassroots level in the State Forest department were filled up immediately.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 1 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 1 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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