Forest dept to be modernized, says Filipe Neri

Story/place-Panaji.

Sep 18, 2010

PANAJI: Minister for forests Filipe Neri Rodrigues on Friday presented 30 motorcycles and helmets to field personnel of the forest department at Panaji in a bid to enhance mobility for protection of forests and for conservation of wildlife.

While the responsibilities of the forest department have increased manifold over the last 25 years, its front-line staff have not increased proportionately. Rodrigues said that funds from the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestration Fund Management and Planning Authority) have provided an opportunity to improve the infrastructure of the department by way of improving working conditions of frontline staff such as guards and foresters.

The forest minister impressed upon the officers the need to strengthen forest protection besides improving checking systems and devising the latest mechanisms, by virtue of which the menace of tree cutting can be minimized and eliminated in the long run. He also called upon forest department officers to maintain effective coordination so that the targets fixed for the department are achieved.

Rodrigues said that walkie-talkies and wireless sets and mobiles have also been provided to the field staff for quick communication and response. The minister asked the frontline staff not to misuse their two-wheelers and to be vigilant against forest violations in their areas.

Rodrigues said that the funds utilized for the purpose have been drawn from CAMPA and the same are to be used for compensatory afforestation and other related security enhancing purposes. The state government had deposited 140 crore with the CAMPA, out of which 12 crore will be released every year for the next five years.

The principal chief conservator of forests Shashi Kumar later told TOI that this year, 150 hectares of degraded forest land will be afforested. Kumar said the department will undertake other work under CAMPA like soil and water conservation, avenue plantations, procurement of computers to promote e-governance, research and overall improvement of the infrastructure of the forest department.


Further, Rodrigues said that the independent " Van Bhavan" will soon come into the state to house the state forest department. The department also has plans to purchase ten jeeps and five mini trucks for patrolling purposes and animal rescues.


The principal chief conservator of forests, conservator of forests, deputy conservators of forests and assistant conservator of forests were among those present at the function.


source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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