Advisor to Governor, K Vijay Kumar today
inaugurated Foresters Conference and Exhibition organized by Department of
Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing to observe International Day of
Forests.Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Suresh Kumar Chug, Chief
Conservator of Forest, Eco-Tourism J. Frankoi, Regional Director Pollution
Control Board, Shally Ranjan, Director Forest Protection Board, Asaf Mahmood,
Director Soil Conservation P.K Singh, Director Ecology, Environment &
Remote Sensing B. Sidhartha Kumar, Director State Forest Research
Institute, O.P Sharma, Director Social
Forestery Neelu Gera and various other senior officers were present on the
occasion.Speaking on the occasion, the Advisor highlighted the importance of
international day of forests and laid stress on inter-relationship between
forests and education. He also stressed on the need of protection of forests
and increase in green cover by planting more plants and involving civil
society, school children and youth in the endeavour.He said that forests act as
homes for wild animals around the world. Since humans and animals are dependent
on each other for their existence and survival, it is important to conserve and
save their home just like we maintain our own.The Advisor congratulated the
organizers for organizing the event to create awareness regarding the role and
importance of the environment, ecology and wildlife.On the occasion the Advisor
released a report regarding Socio Economic Survey of villages around Kazinag
Natioanl Park and three documentary films about Black Bear, Man Animal Conflict
and Landscape.
The Advisor handed over Hero Motor Cycle
presented by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India and donated by Hero Motor Corp
under CSR for wildlife frontline staff. He lauded the efforts and role of
frontline staff in conservation and protection of forests.The Advisor also
planted a tree in ceremonial plantation of the event and visited stalls
installed by Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing and other allied
departments to demonstrate various initiatives and operation being carried out
in the state to protect and conserve environment and ecology. Speaking on the
occasion, Principal Chief Conservator, Suresh Kumar Chug informed that under
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), 38
lakh plants will be planted this year covering an area of five thousand
hectors.While congratulations the front line wildlife teams for their
extraordinary work, he said that nine wing of the department are working
collectively to protect the wildlife across the state.He asked the DFOs for
making control rooms more vibrant to avoid forest fires in summer season and
stressed for mass awareness campaigning at district level about the role and
importance of forest and wildlife. Speaking on the occasion, Regional Director
Pollution Control Board Shally Ranjan said that forests are our pride, but they
are rapidly disappearing all over the world. What many people fail to
comprehend is that the loss of this natural resource could spell disaster for
our planet.He added that protecting the world’s forests should be our very
first priority in fighting global warming and climate change as forests are
critical to life on Earth – 1.6 billion people rely on them directly for food,
shelter, fuel and income.