Man-animal conflict matter of concern: Naidu

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 25

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has expressed concern over the rising man-animal conflict.

Addressing the annual convocation of 2016-18 course of IFS probationers at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in Dehradun on Wednesday, the Vice-President said the rising incidents of man-animal conflict were a cause of  concern and called upon forest officers to work towards reducing the problem. He said people residing along forests were suffering a lot due to the man-animal conflict.

He also asked the forest officers not to disturb tribals residing in forests. “You should not disturb tribals residing in forests but rather take them as helping hand”, Naidu said. 

He also categorically held that those states which are doing good work in conserving forest should be given benefits and rewarded with incentives, amply hinting towards the long-standing demand of green bonus raised by forest-predominant states like Uttarakhand. 

Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was also present, exhorted the forest officers not to manage forests in isolation but as joint enterprise of the government and people. He called for conserving forests by empowering local communities.

Uttarakhand Governor Dr KK Paul reminded that the ‘Chipko Movement’, was launched for environment conservation and was considered a forest conservation model in the entire world, had its origins in Uttarakhand. He said the forest officers should use scientific techniques and social-economic inputs for forest conservation. 

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat hoped that new forest officers would work towards new technologies and research in the sphere of forestry. He also stressed the need to use new technologies in checking incidents of forest fires.

The Vice-President handed over diplomas to 53 IFS probationers. Those given diplomas included two foreign trainees from the Royal Government of Bhutan. He also presented awards to the IFS probationers, who excelled in various spheres of training. Arun Vignesh CS, who was allotted the Assam cadre, was awarded for All- Round Outstanding Performance.

Among the IFS probationers, three have been allotted the Punjab cadre and two two Haryana cadre, while seven have been allotted Rajasthan cadre.