Chennai, Jul 6 (IANS): Ashok Upreti, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, has been appointed as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and head of the forest department of Tamil Nadu. He replaces S. Yuvaraj who was posted as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Education and Research.

The transfers and postings were effected through an order released on Tuesday by Supriya Sahu, Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu.

PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden, Syed Muzzamil Abbas was posted as Chairman, Arasu Rubber corporation. He was replaced by Dr Shekar Kumar Neeraj who was promoted as PCCF from the present post of APCCF and Special Secretary, Forests.

Dr Sudhanshu Gupta and Subrat Mohapatra were promoted as PCCF and will continue on central deputation. Yogesh Dwivedi, APCCF was promoted and posted as PCCF and Chairman, Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited (TAFCORN).

A Venkatesh was posted as APCCF (Planning and Budgeting), Dr M. Jayanthi was posted as Special Secretary (Environment, Climate Change), and Deepak Srivastava as APCCF and Member Secretary, T.N. State wetlands authority.

Vijendra Singh Malik was posted as APCCF (Administration). He will be holding the additional charge of CCF (T.N. Afforestation project) and Project Director (Administration and Finance) at T.N. Biodiversity and Greening project.