Patna: Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, a 1992-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), officially assumed charge as Additional Chief Secretary of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, Bihar, on Tuesday.
Her predecessor in the department, Bandana Preyashi, a 2003-batch IAS officer, handed over charge to her at Sinchai Bhawan.
Bamrah was welcomed at Aranya Bhawan, by top forest officials. A departmental meeting followed the brief reception, during which officials presented an overview of the department’s ongoing schemes and activities.
In her first directives after taking charge, Bamhrah called for fast-tracking appointments to vacant positions across cadres and proposed the creation of new posts wherever necessary. She also emphasised the urgent need to strengthen the Eco-Development Committees and Joint Forest Management Committees, along with reinforcing forest boundaries.
Placing a strong focus on afforestation, Bamhrah instructed officials to expand the department’s tree plantation targets and ensure maximum sapling coverage across the state. She underscored the importance of accelerating approvals and implementation of departmental plans during the current financial year.
Senior officials present at the meeting included Prabhat Kumar Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF); Arvinder Singh, PCCF (Development); Abhay Kumar Dwivedi, Additional PCCF (Work Planning, Training and Extension); Abhay Kumar, Special Secretary; and other senior forest officers from across the department.
