Uttarakhand govt reverses its own order on whistleblower Sanjiv Chaturvedi's posting

Uttarakhand government has reversed its decision of posting whistleblower Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi as OSD National Green Tribunal, with the Chief Minister saying that he will be given a fresh posting "of his choice". 

Chaturvedi is said to have been not very keen in taking up his assignment as OSD, NGT where he had to represent Uttarakhand, which is facing over 180 cases related to violation of environmental norms.

In reply to a question late yesterday, Chief Minister Harish Rawat told reporters that Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh has been asked to withdraw the decision taken regarding the posting of Chaturvedi. "The officer will now be given a fresh posting of his choice," Rawat said.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary earlier this month, Chaturvedi had expressed his desire to offer his services in the state vigilance department or state anti corruption bureau. 

Chaturvedi, a 2002-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, had been at loggerheads with the Centre and had approached courts against some of the decisions of the central government of allegedly denying him due service- related benefits.

He had earlier worked as Chief Vigilance Officer and then as Deputy Secretary in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from June 2012 to June 2016.

Last year, he had sought inter-cadre deputation to Delhi government. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declined the proposal for inter- cadre deputation of Chaturvedi (for appointment as Officer on Special Duty to the Delhi Chief Minister) from Uttarakhand cadre.