This article discusses the forest officer roles and in particular the duties and responsibilities of Forest Section Officer, Forest Beat Officer and Forest Range Officer in detail.

✦ All three designations have their own set of forest officer roles. ✦ Either of them, comes under the guidance of the other. ✦ When all three of them function in coordination with one another, duties can be fulfilled. ✦ At the end, these responsibilities focus towards to the prevention of malpractice and preservation of forests. Something that is the need of the hour and should be done.

Roles and responsibilities of Forest Beat Officer (FBO):

✦ A Forest Beat Officer is expected to be well aware of the boundaries of his beat. ✦ A FBO should prevent encroachment in his/her beat and protect it from injury due to unexpected or intentional fires or other calamities. ✦ A Beat Officer should guard his beat from offenses. If there exists any, FBO should mention them in Form – A and submit it to the Range Officer. ✦ A FBO should be well dressed in his uniform and carry necessary bill books, cash books and Forms A, B and C with himself. ✦ It is his/her duty to keep appropriate signs boards in their proper positions and facilitate the necessary repair works. ✦ During his perambulation, FBO should periodically cut creepers and climbers. ✦ Boundary lines and orders should be kept in a proper sequence to segregate various forest blocks. ✦ The reports made by him/her should be submitted to Section Officer and the Range Officer. FBO should regularly update his/her weekly diary and promptly submit it.

Roles and responsibilities of Forest Section Officer (FSO):

✦ A FSO has to carry out the general management of all the forest-related work that comes under his/her section or division. ✦ The Officer has to keep a direct control over the execution of forest works and the administration of the division under him. ✦ A FSO has exercise control over other work bodies like the Ministerial, the Executive and the Protective to see whether or not they fulfill their jobs accurately. ✦ A Section Officer is a subordinate of the Conservator of Forests and it is his responsibility to follow the instructions given to him by them. ✦ A FSO should update plantation journals, control books and control journals. As a result, he himself should be updated. ✦ Surprise inspections of Range Officers, office stores, and cash books are a part of FSO duty. ✦ A FSO should dutifully pay regular visits to depots to check the stock of the timber and other forest produce. ✦ Annual inspections to detect smuggling in the beats of his range is section officer responsibility.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Forest Range Officer (FRO):

✦ It is mandatory for a Forest Range Officer to undergo a training session in either a Central Forest Training Academy or a State Forest Training Academy. ✦ A FRO has to facilitate the management of the Range and hence, is an Officer in Executive Charge of the Range. ✦ A FRO also has the responsibility of keeping a check over the charges and custody of the government property under his control. ✦ A FRO should also observe discipline in the work executed by his staff. ✦ A FRO has to collect and credit forest revenue and is responsible for prompt and accurate payment of due for all works executed. ✦ It is FRO duty to check and inspect his subordinates about the quality of work executed by them. ✦ The Range Officer should report the Divisional Officer in case of any misconduct of Subordinate. ✦ A FRO has to keep a track of all accounts, that is, revenue, timber, forest produce and expenditure. These accounts should then be submitted to the Division Officer with utmost punctuality. ✦ A FRO should work smartly to formulate measures and ways to manage the forest wealth under his charge. ✦ A Range Officer should investigate his range for forest of fences and also prepare a charge sheet against the ones held guilty by the Divisional Officer.

There are a number of roles to be played, responsibilities to be carried out and duties to be fulfilled by an FSO, FRO and an FBO. Forests are our natural resources. They should be conserved and enhanced. Such officers should be honest to prevent issues like smuggling or encroachment and should be willing to put efforts for the betterment of forests.
Tips: Duties and responsibilities when followed rightfully help in the progress of not only a specific region but also a nation and eventually, the world as a whole.