Latest news with #ConservatorofForests
Hans India
7 days ago
- Hans India
Forester killed by poachers
Bhubaneswar: A forester was killed allegedly by poachers near Kai reserve forest in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. Acting on a tip-off, an eight-member team of the Forest department went to Tantichira village around 3.30 am when they came face to face with the poachers. Soon, the poachers opened fire, and Prahallad Pradhan, the in-charge forester of Hindol range, was shot in the stomach, officials said. He was rushed to a nearby health facility, from where he was taken to Angul district headquarters hospital. There, he was declared dead. Dhenkanal Divisional Forest Officer Sumit Kar said four poachers were arrested and a gun was seized. Expressing grief over the death of the forester, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh for his family. The Chief Minister directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Prem Kumar Jha to visit the spot and investigate the incident. In a post on X, Jha said, 'In this sad moment, I, on behalf of the Forest and Wildlife department family, wish the departed soul peace and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family.' Following the incident, Forest Employees' Association secretary (Dhenkanal) Birendra Dehuri said forest guards should be adequately equipped to deal with armed poachers. Forest guards in the State are not provided with firearms, except those in Similipal Tiger Reserve. They patrol the forests with sticks, he said.
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Three-day elephant census kickstarts at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve
MYSURU: Amid a surge in human-elephant conflict incidents along inter-state borders, a three-day Synchronised Elephant Population Estimation (SEPE) exercise began on Friday at the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) N Lakshmikanth announced that the census will be carried out on May 23, 24, and 25. The initiative aims to assess elephant populations along state borders to inform conflict mitigation and management strategies. The census is being conducted in three phases. On May 23, during Block Sampling, teams will survey five sq kilometres of sample blocks on foot, covering at least 15 km. They will record the number of elephants sighted directly, along with details such as gender, age group (adult, sub-adult, juvenile, calf), and group size. On May 24, as part of the Line Transect, a 2 km transect will be walked starting at 6 am to record indirect signs of elephant presence such as dung and footprints on either side of the path. On May 25, during waterhole count, the forest staff will monitor selected water bodies from 6 am to 6 pm, documenting and photographing elephants that visit the lakes during this period. Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, which spans the Mysore and Kodagu districts, is home to the highest elephant population in Karnataka and includes a significant elephant corridor. Over 300 personnel will participate in the exercise, spread across 91 patrol units. Each patrol team includes at least one staff member trained online for the census. 'Identifying areas with high elephant density and sex ratios will provide crucial insights for addressing human-elephant conflict and enhancing management efforts,' ACF Lakshmikanth added.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Uttar Pradesh plans to make Dudhwa global eco-tourism hotspot
Uttar Pradesh eco-tourism development board conducted an extensive discussion with tour and travel operators on Thursday. The meeting, held at Tourism Bhawan, witnessed officers engaging in unlocking Dudhwa's full potential through collaborative promotion, infrastructure development, and personalised tourism experiences for international tourists. In the presence of tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh the officials highlighted the state government's multi-pronged strategy to increase footfall of international tourists in Dudhwa and surrounding areas. The minister for tourism and culture Jaiveer Singh said, 'All efforts are underway to enhance accommodation, set up yoga and wellness centres, promote rural tourism and local crafts and cuisine, especially for foreign tourists. We believe this natural treasure will play a defining role in making Uttar Pradesh a top destination for international tourists.' Describing Dudhwa as one of the last surviving stretches of the once-vast Himalayan Terai, the principal secretary tourism and culture Mukesh Meshram said, 'Dudhwa is not just a sanctuary for rare and endangered species, but a living repository of our disappearing forest ecosystems. Its dense forests, marshes, grasslands, and oxbow lakes represent rhythmic patterns of nature celebrated worldwide.' 'Uttar Pradesh currently leads in domestic tourism, and with strategic initiatives, we aim to achieve the same in international arrivals,' said Meshram. Tour and travel operators have a critical role in this journey, and the government is fully committed to supporting efforts at every level. During the interaction, over 100 tour and travel operators from Uttar Pradesh and other states were present in-person and virtually. Several suggestions were put forward, including integrating Dudhwa with spiritual circuits like Ayodhya and Kashi, organising familiarisation (FAM) tours, and initiating student exposure visits from cities like Jhansi, similar to those conducted in Lucknow. The board assured that these ideas will be actively considered and implemented wherever feasible. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoD) Sunil Chaudhary lauded the initiative, calling it a promising step toward expanding tourism in the state. Managing Director of Forest Corporation KK Singh stated that Dudhwa offers something for every type of tourist, and it is essential that tour operators design customised itineraries based on visitor interests. Other key speakers included Additional PCCF Lalit Kumar Verma, CCF (Policy & Analysis) Aditi Sharma, UPSTDC MD Sanya Chhabra, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Field Director Dr Rangaraju, and Tourism Director Prakhar Mishra, who delivered a detailed presentation on the board's vision and plans for Dudhwa's development. Home to over 120 tree species, more than 100 varieties of herbs and shrubs, and rare orchids, Dudhwa boasts remarkable biodiversity. The region supports a thriving population of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and aquatic life, making it a vital example of ecological richness and stability. Dudhwa is being developed as a national eco-tourism flagship for international tourists. Key initiatives include stakeholder consultations, promotion of local heritage and cuisine, expanded train safari outreach, integrated wellness and accommodation facilities, dedicated tourist helpdesks, and a comprehensive regional master plan. The board has also shared four proposed itineraries tailored for various traveller interests.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
1 crore saplings to be planted in Varanasi division under mega drive this year
1 2 Varanasi: The four districts under Varanasi division—Varanasi, Ghazipur, Chandauli, and Jaunpur— are all set to plant 1.64 crore saplings during the statewide mega plantation drive commencing in Tuesday, a review of the upcoming plantation drive was conducted at the forest department headquarters in Varanasi division. Conservator of Forests, Varanasi Circle, Ravi Singh chaired the meeting, attended by district forest officers, deputy divisional forest officers, and regional forest officers from all districts, including Varanasi, Ghazipur, Chandauli, and said that the chief secretary has set the plantation targets, allocating 280,000 saplings for Varanasi, 1,050,000 for Ghazipur, 1,455,400 for Jaunpur, and 3,640,600 for Chandauli. In response, site selection and pit digging were completed at 86 sites in Varanasi, 175 in Ghazipur, and 178 in Jaunpur. Additionally, 26 other departments were assigned plantation targets of 1,417,520 saplings in Varanasi, 3,064,100 in Ghazipur, and 3,742,580 in Jaunpur. Work plans for planting 514,567 saplings in Varanasi, 2,402,476 in Ghazipur, and 3,007,456 in Jaunpur were prepared by these departments and sent to the district forest officers. He said that the rural development department was given the largest target of 4,762,000 saplings, focusing on planting shade and fruit trees on vacant lands like ponds and pastures. The Panchayati Raj department has a target of 482,000 saplings, and the agriculture department has 952,000. They will distribute teak, rosewood, mango, mahua, neem, and drumstick saplings to beneficiary farmers and producer groups for free. The forest department is preparing to supply these saplings to the Panchayati Raj and agriculture departments free of to him, the urban development, housing development, public works, and defence departments were assigned targets of 128,000, 13,000, 28,000, and 11,000 saplings, respectively, to plant shade and ornamental trees in urban areas, parks, and vacant spaces. The animal husbandry department has a target of 19,000 saplings, focusing on planting shade and fodder species in cow shelters. The education departments (secondary, basic, technical, and higher education) were allocated targets of 29,000, 48,000, 13,000, and 49,000 saplings, respectively, for planting shade and fruit trees in schools and colleges to strengthen the mid-day meal horticulture department plans to plant 587,000 fruit saplings, emphasizing the famous Langra mango of Varanasi. They will provide free grafted fruit saplings to all departments in July. A team was formed to inspect prepared sites and pits, and their report was submitted. The Conservator of Forests instructed all district forest officers to ensure full participation from all 27 departments and engage farmers and producer groups in the upcoming plantation campaign. Geo-tagging of all plantation sites through the Haritima app was directed, and training programmes for all departments on using the app are expected to be organised.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Sarang Integrated Command Center inaugurated in Varanasi for forest monitoring and grievance redressal
Representative Image VARANASI: Chief conservator of Forests , Prayagraj, Shesh Narayan Mishra, inaugurated the Sarang Integrated Command Center in Varanasi on Wednesday. The center has been established for the efficient operation and information exchange of Forest Helpline-1926. It is designed to receive and promptly address complaints and suggestions related to forest crimes such as illegal tree felling, unauthorised timber storage and transportation, illegal sawmills, charcoal kilns, and wildlife poaching and trade. Ravi Kumar Singh , Conservator of Forests, Varanasi Division; Tulsi Das, Conservator of Forests, Prayagraj Division; and all district forest officers — including Swati (Varanasi), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jaunpur), Jagdambika Prasad (Pratapgarh), Ramanuj Tripathi (Fatehpur), and Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Divisional Forest Officer, Varanasi — were present on the occasion. Singh stated that each year, a target of planting 3.5 billion saplings is set under the Tree Plantation Mega Campaign. Coordination and monitoring at the divisional level, involving all 27 departments, will be carried out through the PMS (Plantation Monitoring System) and NMS (Nursery Management System) portals via the Command Center . The use of new technologies in plantation activities — such as the preparation of action plans by departments and the submission of online sapling demand forms — will be reviewed, and the progress of geo-tagging after plantation will be assessed. He added that the Sarang Command Center is also equipped to promptly address public complaints received via the Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS) portal. Additionally, the center will monitor forest fire incidents and track the patrolling activities of forest personnel in forest areas. Instructions for organised action against human-wildlife conflict and illegal logging have been issued to all district forest officers by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Southern Region, Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj, and the Conservator of Forests, Varanasi Circle. Historically, Varanasi — located along the holy Ganga — was rich in deer populations, with several deer parks mentioned in ancient records. The term Sarang means "deer." Lord Buddha chose the deer park in Sarnath for meditation during his stay, at the site where the Dhamek Stupa stands today. This ancient deer park is currently maintained by the Forest Department. Lord Shiva is also referred to as Sarang Nath, and the name Sarnath is believed to be derived from this title. 'Considering the significance of deer in our ecological and cultural heritage, the Integrated Command Center has been named Sarang,' Singh explained.
