Ranchi, Jan. 12: Bihar government has served showcause notices on 10 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials of Jharkhand cadre for issuing licences to open new saw mills despite the ban by the Supreme Court.

The IFS officials had issued the licences when they were in the rank of divisional forest officers in unified Bihar and are now holding senior positions in Jharkhand. One of them has already retired.

Bihar forest secretary Shishir Sinha said out of 20 officials, who have been served showcause notices, 10 are from Jharkhand. He said the showcause notices have been sent to Jharkhand government for necessary action.

These officials include regional chief conservator of forests Mahendra Kadgam, general manager of forest corporation Lal Ratnakar Singh, DFO (planning) Deeksha Prasad, DFO, Giridih, A.M. Sharma, DFO, Chatra, Makhan Lal, conservator of forests, Dumka, S.S. Badhawan, conservator of forests, Ranchi, S.B. Gaikwad and retired forests research officer P.R. Sinha, said Bihar principal chief conservator of forest. Jharkhand officials were posted as DFOs in Darbhanga, Gaya, Banka, Chapra, Purnia and Begusarai when they had issued the licences.

The officials are accused of issuing up to 100 licences despite clear instructions from the Supreme Court not to issue fresh licences for opening any saw mill, veneer or plywood industry.

While directing the states not to issue fresh licences, the Supreme Court had also asked to close down unlicensed shops and reduce the number of licensed shops.

Forest secretary K.K. Khandelwal said they have not received any communication from Bihar as yet.

Forests officials, however, said they have information that some action had been taken in Bihar on January 10 following instruction from the chief minister there. Bihar government may have issued the showcause, but the state has to decide about action against IFS officials posted in Jharkhand, they added.