Ms. Sarita Chauhan, IAS, Commissioner/ Secretary, Forests inaugurates Web Based Training of Forest Department
Commissioner/ Secretary, Department of Forests, Environment and Ecology, Ms. Sarita Chauhan today inaugurated one day Web Based In-Service Training programme, organized for Officers and front line staff of the Forest Department on Forestry Intervention for successful Afforestation and Acts & Rules. Speaking on the occasion, she advised the Forest Department to not only achieve the quantitative targets in terms of number of plants planted and area covered, but also bring qualitative change in the forest conservation practices, behavioral changes in the society and meaningful involvement of the communities. She also exhorted the Department to immediately strengthen steps to curb forest damage and encroachment as well as create employment opportunities towards ‘Atmanirbar Bharat’. She advised the Department to have futuristic plan and employ use of technology to the maximum towards forest management as well as for such innovative trainings due to prevailing pandemic situation.
The online training was designed and conducted for the officers of the department especially the DFOs/ ROs and Foresters across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The programme aimed at updating the officials for undertaking forestry interventions such as rehabilitation of degraded forests, assisted natural regeneration, forest rejuvenation, pasture development and soil and water conservation under CAMPA and other schemes. The staff was also trained on the Acts and Rules pertaining to protection and management of Forests which are now applicable in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The training was conducted through Google Meet App, which was accessed by the field officials in their respective place of duty under the supervision of their controlling officers. Dr. Mohit Gera, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & HoFF, Jammu and Kashmir took the first session on “Quality Forestry Interventions for Successful Afforestation under various schemes including CAMPA” and provided practical tips for improving the quality and extent of forest cover and their documentation. The second session was taken by Sh. K. Ramesh, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu who spoke on “Acts and Rules for Field Functionaries”.
Afternoon was utilized for discussion and interactions among the staff at their respective locations and training was concluded with closing remarks of Dr. Mohit Gera, IFS, PCCF & HoFF, J&K. The training programme was attended by 404 forest officials from 92 locations all across the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The programme was supported by Sh. Sandip Kujur, IFS, CCF WPR&T with the assistance from Sh. Naresh Majotra, ACF, Principal and Course Coordinator, Forest Guard Training School, Doomi. Sh. Sarvesh Rai, APCCF/ CEO CAMPA, Sh. T. Rabi Kumar, CCF (Central) and Sh. Praveen Raghav, CCF (P&P) were also present on the occasion.
