Environmental concern: Sindh wildlife dept faces dearth of technical staff

KARACHI:

The provincial wildlife department needs to hire technical staff on an urgent basis as it faces a shortage of officials equipped with the technical knowledge to run the department.

The department’s conservator and one of its technically proficient members, Hussain Bakhsh Baghat, passed away on November 5. Deputy conservator Dr Fehmida Firdous has been made the acting conservator till the department finds Baghat’s replacement.

Sindh Minister for Wildlife and Forest Giyan Chand Essarani confirmed that there is a shortage. “I’ll discuss the matter with the chief minister soon.” All new appointments in the provincial departments require the permission of the chief minister.

The wildlife and forest department had recently requested the appointment of 20 range forest officers but have yet to receive permission, despite the fact that 15 of the department’s existing officers retire by 2015 and it takes two years to train an officer.

There are only two senior officials in the department that are in grade-18, including Dr Firdous.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2013.