Friday, 09 October 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
Rich in forests and wildlife, the state of Uttarakhand finally has a forest and wildlife helpline 1926. Launching this facility prepared by the forest department on Thursday, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the helpline is an effective initiative towards ensuring the protection of forests and tackling human-wildlife conflict.
Addressing departmental officials via video conferencing, the CM said that the helpline will prove useful in resolving public grievances linked for forests and wildlife only if complaints received on it are addressed expeditiously. Mitigating human-wildlife conflict is a major challenge, he said, while stressing on the need for integrated efforts to make the helpline useful in resolving this issue. The helpline will enable swift solutions to incidents occurring in forests, smuggling, poaching and other forest related crimes and issues. Focus must be laid on ensuring food for wildlife in the forests to tackle the challenge of protecting crops from wild animals.Rawat stressed on the need for preparing a work plan for this purpose. He also directed that public awareness campaigns be undertaken from time to time to ensure public participation in protection of forests and wildlife.
