Arunachal CM Pema Khandu Bats for Conserving Forests and Wildlife

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday said that conservation should not only mean protecting forests and wildlife but also should take into account improving lives of the people living around them.

Speaking during a review meeting with senior officers of the state forest department here, Khandu said the forest department should shed away its image of a stumbling block to development.

He suggested the department to come up with innovative solutions to strike a balance between environment sustainability and economic growth, maintaining that forest conservation should always be on priority.

Urging the department to be proactive the chief minister said, “The department must start taking leadership roles in sensitizing the people towards conservation.”

He suggested the department that any conservation-related tourism festivals in the state must be taken over by forest department. This, he felt, would be effective in spreading the message of conservation as forest department is well versed with the subject, an official communique said.

The chief minister also called on the department to submit proposals for centrally sponsored afforestation scheme on time from district level.

He informed that this year funds for Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has been distributed all over the state unlike earlier times when such funds where limited only to certain areas and on avenue plantation.

Khandu urged the department to change its working style and move towards transparency, accountability and efficiency. He said the department has lost its charm by being less active and called on the officers to work hard to bring back its lost glory.

Lamenting that despite funding from centre for recruitment of special tiger protection force in the state, the chief minister observed that the department has not been able to utilize the opportunity and urged that the matter be taken over urgently, the communique added.

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