Tuesday, 03 May | PNS | Dehradun
Senior officers of the Forest department should be appointed as nodal officers soon in the districts affected by forest fires. The divisional forest officers (DFOs) should consistently tour their area. The Forest department, Revenue, Police and other departments concerned should work in coordination while the support of the public should also be sought. Further, the latest technologies should be used to tackle forest fires and the response time should be minimised. The responsibility of officials should be fixed to check forest fires during the Char Dham Yatra. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued these instructions while chairing a meeting to review the status of forest fires in the state on Monday.
Dhami said that the Sheetalakhet (Almora) model should be adopted to tackle forest fires. The residents of Sheetalakhet took a pledge to protect the jungles and forest wealth from fire. They also made a commitment to not burn waste and farm waste during the entire fire season. The CM further said that both short term and long term plans should be prepared to check forest fires. Coordination should be established with research institutions and universities to prepare the long term plan. Efforts should be undertaken while establishing coordination between economy and ecology, he said.
Dhami further said that a new work culture and attitude will have to be adopted by all for the development of the State. Along with protection of forest wealth, special focus also needs to be laid on how to augment the livelihoods of locals through forest wealth. A concrete policy should be prepared to ascertain the collection of pirul (dry pine needles) and enhance livelihoods through that. Such a model of forest and environment conservation should be prepared in the State that it sends a message across the nation and abroad. The CM stressed on the need for effective measures for protection of wildlife and water sources.
Forest minister Subodh Uniyal said that department officials should lay special focus on public participation to check forest fires. A well planned strategy should be prepared to link the economy of the people with forest wealth, he said, while adding that forest fire management committees should also be formed in Van Panchayats.
Additional chief secretary Radha Raturi, principal secretary RK Sudhanshu, principal chief conservator of forests Vinod Kumar Singhal and other senior officials were present in the meeting along with Garhwal commissioner Sushil Kumar, all district magistrates, senior superintendents of police and DFOs who joined the meeting virtually.
