Pooja Thakur, Chairperson District Development Council, Kishtwar along with other Council members on Wednesday interacted with trainees of Eco-Guide program organised by Department of Wildlife Protection here at Wildlife Complex, Manda Jammu. As many as 20 unemployed youth from fringe villages of Kishtwar High Altitude National Park of Marwah-Dachhan area are being trained as Eco-Guides by the Wildlife Department from 21st February to 4th March, 2022.Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K Suresh Kumar Gupta, while giving a brief about the training modules, said that 20 youth mostly 10+2 passed are being trained to act as Eco-Guides for improving livelihood opportunities near the Wildlife areas. He further said that during the training the participants shall visit various Wildlife areas and shall have hands on sessions on various aspects of bird watching, animal sighting, plant identification and their depiction by the Eco-Guides to the visitors. During training focus shall also be on building communication skills of participants.
While addressing the trainees, Pooja Thakur, DDC Chairperson Kishtwar advised them to take maximum benefit during the training and develop skills for generating livelihood for themselves. She lauded the initiative taken by the Department of Wildlife Protection and asked for continued involvement of youth in various Wildlife Protection, Conservation and Awareness programmes in Marwah-Dachhan area. Besides, Sheikh Zaffar, DDC Member from Marwah, Tahir Masood, DDC Member from Palmar, Faisal Hussain, DDC Member from Nagsani and Babu Lal, Sarpanch Lopara also interacted with the trainees.The training programme for Eco-Guides, 1st of its kind initiative taken by Department of Wildlife Protection to promote Eco-Tourism in Wildlife Areas, is being conducted by Majid Bashir, Wildlife Warden, Chenab Division, Kishtwar under the guidance of Dr. Kumar M.K, Regional Wildlife Warden, Jammu.Dr. Arun Gupta, Wildlife Warden is Course Coordinator for the programme.