SRINAGAR: The J&K Forest Department organized a Two Day’s Orientation Programme for the newly trained 10 Assistant Conservator of Forests, who recently joined the department after completing their two-year induction training at Central Academy for State Forest Service, Coimbatore.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) & HoFF, J&K Forest Department, Dr. Mohit Gera welcomed the participating officers after successfully completing their induction course. He elaborated the significance of training in shaping the forest officers and how different aspects of training will be of help while working in the field.
He exhorted that since the UT of J&K has a vast forest area of 20194 sq km, so the young forest officers have a greater responsibility in protecting the forests as they are going to serve for more than 30 years in the department.
The PCCF drew their attention towards the myriad of challenges that they may face in the field while acting as soldiers of ecological security. He asked the young officers to be ready to bravely face the conflicts that may come up while discharging their field duties.
He interacted with young officers and few officers narrated their experiences during their training period at CASFOS, Coimbatore.
The CEO CAMPA, Sarveh Rai said that all the forest officers are actually resource managers, as nearly half of land in the UT of J&K is with the Forest Department.
The APCCF, Jammu, B. M. Sharma drew the attention of the officers towards the paradigm shift in the forest policy from Production Forestry to Protection Forestry. He also exhorted the officers to develop interest in some particular field like legal matters, biodiversity issues, Climate Change, etc., besides discharging their duties diligently.
The programme was organized by the Working Plan wing of the forest department.
Earlier, the APCCF Working Plan Research & Training, J&K, Sandeep Kujur welcomed all the new officers and briefed them about the focus to familiarise the newly joined officers on different programmes and activities of forest and sister departments.