Sustainability day to be a monthly feature of the department
Going beyond observing sustainability day once a year, the department which manages about 70 per cent of the state’s geographical area is now planning to incorporate a sustainability day every month. The Principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), head of the forest force, Rajiv Bhartari is planning to make sustainability day a monthly feature of the department.
Talking to The Pioneer, the PCCF said that instead of observing sustainability day once a year, he is planning to issue orders for observing sustainability day on the fifth day of every month. “We are planning this move to bring about a change in all our offices from the range office to the headquarters. The intention behind this is to make all the department staff look around, think and act towards sustainability. By focusing on this aspect, one will think about resources and items- one will think about the utility of various aspects, consider which items can be reused and which can be recycled. This will not only take the department towards sustainability but will also affect the efficiency,” said Bhartari.
It is pertinent to mention here that earlier this month, the PCCF had also initiated action towards phasing out of single use plastic by 2022. Bhartari has already directed forest officials to take steps like launching a planned campaign to phase out single use plastic in protected forest areas, reserved forest areas and wetlands on a priority basis. The staff and tourists are also to be stopped from carrying single use plastic in forest areas. Bhartari said that the department will take small incremental steps to bring about necessary changes in behaviour, its system, infrastructure management and policies for this purpose. “Apart from our offices, there are so many tourist spots and facilities in forest areas. Phasing out single use plastic in such sites and keeping them free of non-biodegradable waste will have a considerable impact. Recently, during a brainstorming session on this issue the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) member secretary said that the board is willing to assist us in this effort. I have directed the additional PCCF to prepare a plan for this purpose.”
It should be mentioned here that the forest department is also considering alternatives to minimise or replace plastic in all departmental programmes, offices and tourist spots.
Friday, 29 January 2021 | Paritosh Kimothi | Dehradun
