Details

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 10 May 2015

• Stresses on upgrading training institutes on modern lines

 

JAMMU: Exhorting upon the officers and frontline field staff of Forest Department to act tough on encroachers and timber smugglers, the Minister for Social Welfare, Forests, Ecology and Environment, Bali Bhagat today said strenuous efforts should be made to preserve the green wealth of the state.  The Minister was speaking at the passing out function of the 20th Batch of Forester Training Course (2014-15) at Soil Conservation Training School Miran Sahib today.

 

The Minister congratulated the Foresters on successful completion of the training and asked them to optimally use the skills and techniques acquired during the training for forest protection. He stressed that the department is facing enormous challenges and need of the hour is to restructure and revamp the training modules effectively so that requisite training is imparted to the officers and field functionaries.

 

Bali said that well knit plan will be chalked out to improve infrastructural facilities and modernization of the training institute of the forest department so as to the hands of the department. He asked the concerned officers to take up the work of up gradation of infrastructure and manpower in these institutes on priority. He laid stress on making sports and physical activities important component of the training schedule.

 

The Minister also gave a strong message against illicit felling of trees and encroachment of forest land and warned that such attempts would be dealt sternly. Bali said that he would not tolerate any lackadaisical approach in performing of the duties and asked the officers to attend their duties with honesty and dedication.

 

He maintained that we have to put in synergized efforts to preserve the natural wealth of the state and maintain the ecological balance. Speaking on the occasion, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, A K Singh emphasized on the need for training of field staff in the use of modern tools and technologies for effective forest protection. He apprised the Minister about the prospective plans drawn by the forest department for development of infrastructure in the training schools.

 

Chief Conservator of Forests in his welcome address gave an overview of training activities being carried out by the department. Rajneesh Sharma from Udhampur Forest Division bagged the first position in the batch, Jagbinder Singh of Kathua Forest Division was awarded the trophy for best practical forester Attaullah Nayazi from Poonch Division was the winner of the 10 km cross country race.

 

Principal Soil Conservation Training School Harpreet Kour gave a resume of the functioning of the institute.  Later, the Minister also inspected the facilities being provided to the training.