Forest Minister inaugurates grand convention on Van Panchayats in Chakrata
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 19 Mar: A grand Convention was held under the directives of the Chief Minister by the District Administration at Chirmiri Top, Chakrata, here today. The conference was organised to strengthen Van Panchayats and deliberate upon measures for forest fire protection and prevention. Present was Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal as the Chief Guest, alongside Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh.
The deliberations in the convention revolved around the responsibilities and rights of Van Panchayats. Training sessions were held, and a collective resolution was adopted to protect forests from fires and advance the principle of “Public Welfare from the forest”. During the event, Uniyal also distributed cheques of Rs 15,000 to each Van Panchayat from the disaster fund, facilitating their empowerment against forest fires.
In his address, Uniyal emphasised that forests are the lifeline of the state’s economy and pivotal for the well-being of humanity. He highlighted the indispensable need for public participation in protecting forests from fires. The minister also shared that village-level, district-level, and government-level committees have been constituted to combat forest fires effectively. He further mentioned that individuals assisting in extinguishing forest fires shall be rewarded with amounts ranging from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1,00,000. Furthermore, efforts are underway to generate employment opportunities by promoting eco-tourism and herbal plantation production in forest areas.
Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh underscored the necessity of forest conservation to combat climate change and earnestly appealed to the Forest Minister to resolve the pressing issues related to his constituency.
District Magistrate Savin Bansal shared that 200 forest panchayats in Dehradun district have been mobilised for forest fire protection. He acknowledged the critical role of locals as the primary responders, given their intimate knowledge of the geographical terrain. He assured that the district administration is committed to empowering Van Panchayats through financial support and training. The allocation of Rs 15,000, a pioneering initiative, will enable Van Panchayats to appoint fire watchers, create fire lines, and reduce fire incidents. He assured that additional funds may be allocated as required.
Chief Development Officer Abhinav Shah expressed that the unique concept of Van Panchayats, native to Uttarakhand, reflects the state’s ethos. He reaffirmed the administration’s continued support for empowering the Van Panchayats. Experts, including retired FRI officer VK Dhawan and Range Officer Shiv Prasad Gairola, conducted insightful training sessions on forest fire prevention and management.
During the event, Van Panchayat leaders expressed their opinions on forest and environmental conservation. A solemn pledge was taken to safeguard water, forests, and land while remaining steadfastly connected to the natural heritage. Discussions also covered the rights and responsibilities of Van Panchayats in detail, and valuable suggestions were gathered to further fortify their role.
Fire kits were ceremoniously handed over to the Sarpanches of 10 forest panchayats, namely Nada, Kandoi, Sawara, Sainj, Derio, Lakhwad, Kodi Bhaudi, Atleu, Phanar, and Raigi. In addition, 10 Sarpanches, including Santram, Chaitram, Ramlal Semwal, Anita, and others, were also honoured for their exemplary service in protecting forests and the environment.
The event witnessed the attendance of senior officials, including Chief Development Officer Abhinav Shah, DFO Abhimanyu Singh, SDMs Yogesh Mehar and Gaurav Chatwal, along with numerous Van Panchayat members and local residents.
