CM orders transfer of Pauri DFO
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 11 Dec: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, held a detailed review of the Forest Department at the Secretariat here today. During the meeting he directed immediate transfer of the DFO Pauri and also directed the officials to intensify coordinated efforts at the departmental, governmental and administrative levels to address the growing challenge of man-wildlife conflict. He instructed that a Forest Department team must reach the site of any reported incident within 30 minutes, with clear accountability fixed on the DFO and Ranger concerned. He also directed that immediate financial assistance be provided to affected persons or their families in such cases.
In view of the rising number of human-wildlife conflict cases in Pauri district, the CM ordered the immediate removal of the DFO, Pauri. He further directed the officials to arrange escort facilities for schoolchildren in areas severely affected by wildlife threats to ensure safe passage both to and from school through joint efforts of the Forest Department and District Administration. To safeguard the families from financial distress in cases where a breadwinner loses their life in such incidents, the Forest Department has been asked to prepare a policy within two weeks to provide livelihood support to the bereaved families in wildlife attack cases. He also instructed that all the essential equipment required for mitigating human-wildlife conflict in the districts be made available at the earliest.
Dhami asserted that protecting human lives from wild animals must remain the foremost priority and called for the adoption of new technology to strengthen response mechanisms. He also emphasised upon the need for permanent solutions to prevent wild animals from entering inhabited areas and directed continuous monitoring through cameras in wildlife-sensitive zones. The forest personnel were also asked to maintain constant vigilance and enhance communication with villagers. The CM also instructed the launch of a campaign to clear wild bushes around settlements and to ensure that children and women, in particular, are made aware of the presence of wild animals in nearby areas.
Among those present on the occasion included Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretaries Shailesh Bagoli and Vinay Shankar Pandey, C Ravishankar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Ranjan Mishra and Additional Secretary Himanshu Khurana.
