DFOs, ASCOs, DMs and RDs assigned new roles
Jammu, Jun 13: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued a large-scale transfer and posting order affecting 40 officers in the Department of Forest, Ecology, and Environment. The changes, effective immediately, aim to improve administrative coordination and field-level efficiency across the Union Territory.
According to Government Order No. 111-JK(FST) of 2025, dated June 12, the reshuffle includes divisional forest officers, assistant conservators, and senior staff handling forestry, wildlife, and environmental projects. The directive has been signed by Sheetal Nanda, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government.
In a parallel order (No. 01-JK(FST) of 2025), several individual postings were outlined. Ms. Ifat Ara has been transferred to Udhampur Forest Division. Mr. Ravinder Singh, previously Joint Director of Forest Protection Force (FPF), Jammu, will now serve as DCF Wildlife Headquarters. Mr. Mudasir Malik, who held the Wildlife HQ post, takes over as Joint Director, FPF, Jammu.
Mr. Owais Farooq Mir, earlier working with WUCMA on biodiversity and livelihood projects, is now posted as DFO, Awantipora Forest Division. Mr. Mehmood is assigned to Kamraj Forest Division, while Mr. Vijay Kumar Verma moves from Kishtwar to Anantnag Forest Division.
Other transfers include Mohd. Ashraf Paddar taking over as ASCO (Planning) in the Soil & Water Conservation Department and new assignments for Reyaz Ahmad Malik in Udhampur and Aman Thapa in Reasi. Aamir Raza and Bilal Ahmad Mir have been appointed to key field roles including Divisional Manager, Extraction Division Jammu, and DFO Social Forestry, Kupwara.
New assignments have also been issued for officers such as Khalid Mehmood Bhalwan, Abdul Rashid Bhat, and Anwar Aftab Shah across Kashmir and Jammu. Wildlife responsibilities have been handed over to Sumit Kumar (Rajouri), Iftikhar Hussain (Jammu), and Nadeem Iqbal Mirza (Kishtwar).
Additional postings include positions in Ramban, Anantnag, Kamraj, Poonch, Haveli, and Gulabgarh. Officers Haroon Mushtaq, Aurangzeb, and Parvez Tassaduq Malik, previously without active assignments, have been accommodated.
The reshuffle also brings replacements in forest sales and urban forestry. Lalit Gupta takes over DM Sales at JKFDCL, and Soffi Farhan Meeraj is appointed to the Timber Range, Urban Forestry Division, Srinagar.
The government has clarified that these postings are purely administrative in nature, carry no implications for future promotions, and are subject to the outcome of any ongoing legal proceedings. Officers without current postings are directed to report to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, J&K.
