Other States - Uttaranchal   

Call to adopt latest methods for forest management

Staff Correspondent

DEHRA DUN: Uttaranchal Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari has underlined the urgent need to adopt the latest techniques of forest conservation and management.

Speaking at the concluding session of the IFS Officers' Association meeting here, Mr Tiwari said the need was to increase the strength of State cadre forest officers and redefine the beats of forest guards as per the local needs. "The beats have to be made smaller for effective patrolling and upkeep of the forests," he said. Mr Tiwari also wanted the foresters to involve the people living in or around the forests in forest management schemes. "The people will be too happy to assist the officials if they also have a stake in the conservation process." The IFS Association is seeking representation here at the Secretary and Principal Secretary levels as being done in several States.

Decent living for poor

The Uttaranchal Government will spend an additional Rs. 5 crores on improving civic amenities and quality of life in slums.

Announcing this at a Nirbal Varg Diwas function here, Mr. Tiwari said that it was the duty of any government to provide a decent living space to the poor. He directed officials to speedily identify problems of the malin bastis (slums) and try to solve them.

"I want total implementation of all development schemes for the deprived sections and any negligence will attract strict action," he said. The Chief Minister surprised the officials by pointing out the problems faced by people in some of the slums.

The normally bureaucrats-friendly Chief Minister has of late switched gears to pull up officials for delays in implementation of schemes or providing incomplete statistics during routine meetings.

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