Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 8 Oct: Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) said today that wildlife conservation is not limited merely to protecting wildlife; it is an issue intrinsically linked to the future of humanity and generations to come. While maintaining a balance between development and the environment, Uttarakhand must be developed in a manner where roads and other infrastructure continue to progress without disrupting the natural movement corridors of wildlife. He emphasized that wildlife conservation is not only the responsibility of the Forest Department but a collective responsibility of the entire society.
The Governor was addressing the concluding ceremony of Wildlife Week-2026, held at the Lok Bhavan on Thursday. The Uttarakhand Forest Department organizes Wildlife Week across the state during the first week of October every year. As part of this year’s observance, Wildlife Week-2026 was inaugurated on 1 October 2026, at the ICFRE Auditorium in Dehradun in collaboration with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). The week-long programme concluded at Lok Bhavan today with Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd) as the Chief Guest.
The Governor said that wildlife cannot be protected by confining it only to protected areas. Tigers need healthy forests, elephants require safe corridors, birds need secure skies, and all wildlife species require clean water and interconnected natural habitats.
He said that, if we view wildlife with equality and sensitivity, we must also understand their needs. It is essential to ensure safe habitats, natural corridors and adequate availability of food for them. When wildlife does not have access to food and safe routes for movement, it is compelled to move towards human settlements. Therefore, the solution lies not in intensifying conflict, but in understanding the needs of wildlife and finding a path towards coexistence.
The Governor added that technology in the 21st century has opened up new opportunities for wildlife conservation. Through Artificial Intelligence, camera traps, remote sensing, geospatial mapping, collar identification and advanced data analysis, wildlife movements, behaviour and activity patterns can be understood more effectively. These technologies can help reduce human-wildlife conflict and create a safer environment for both humans and wildlife.
He said that resolving human-wildlife conflict requires a balanced approach that takes into account the safety of both humans and wildlife. The Uttarakhand Government’s decision to recognize human-wildlife conflict as a disaster and the formation of district-level mitigation and management committees are important steps in this direction.
On the occasion, the Governor felicitated personnel who have made commendable contributions to forest and wildlife conservation. The logo of Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Almora, was also unveiled during the programme.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF) Kapil Lal said that the objective of Wildlife Week is to enhance public awareness and participation in wildlife conservation. This year’s theme, “Connected Habitats, Thriving Wildlife”, emphasizes the conservation of wildlife corridors and natural habitats along with protected areas. He said that Uttarakhand’s rich biodiversity and the close proximity of human settlements to wildlife habitats make human-wildlife conflict a continuing challenge. The Forest Department is making continuous efforts to mitigate this challenge.
MP Naresh Bansal, Secretary C. Ravishankar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Neena Grewal, along with other senior Forest Department officials and students from various schools, were present on the occasion.
