Wildlife Bureau finally gets two senior officers

NEW DELHI: After an almost two year wait, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has finally got two senior officers of the rank of joint directors to strengthen the cell in curbing organized wildlife crime in the country.

Last month IPS Shyam Bhagat Negi of Himachal Pradesh cadre and IFS Anul K Nayak of Orissa cadre joined the Bureau in the capacity of Joint Directors, the post which had been lying vacant since the inception of the organization," sources said.

The Bureau, which was set up at the behest of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep a check on organized wildlife crime is waiting for two deputy directors -- one each to be filled from custom and police -- to join while P Subramaniam, an IFS has already joined the Bureau.

"The post of deputy director at Chennai office is lying vacant for the past eight months after Subramaniam was shifted as deputy director (Headquarters). He is also handling additional charge of deputy director post at the Northern Regional office which is vacant," sources said.

Of total five regional directors, office at Mumbai is lying vacant while Kolkatta, Chennai, New Delhi and Jabalpur offices are being overseen by Regional Directors R K Samal, S Narayanan, Ramesh Pandey and Chaturbhj Bahera respectively.