Today, the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan was called upon by probationers of the Indian Forest Service. The probationers were led by the Chairman of the Civil Services Board, Shri Abhay Singh. The batch had over 150 officers who are in their first year of service as part of the Indian Forest Service.
The President welcomed them warmly and spoke on the importance of protecting and conserving India’s forests and how it is fundamental to maintaining a balance between humans, animals, and nature itself. She also congratulated them on being a part of this esteemed service which will enable them to have a direct impact on preserving India’s forest cover.
The forest officers thanked the President for her inspiring words which left them motivated to work even harder towards achieving their goals for conservation.
Addressing the officers, the President said that forests are the anchors for all life on earth. Their role varies from providing wildlife habitats and being a livelihood source, to promoting economic activities and serving as large carbon sinks. They are home to many endangered species of the world. Minor Forest Produce supports the livelihood of well over 27 crore people in our country. Forests have high medicinal value too.
The President said that India is giving special attention to the rights of forest-dwelling communities. The symbiotic relationship of the forest dwellers including tribal communities, with the forests, is now widely recognized and factored into our development choices. It is the responsibility of Indian Forest Service Officers to make these communities aware of their rights and duties toward the conservation and protection of biodiversity.
The President said that these days we hear about many large forest fires in various parts of India and the world. We have a big challenge of not just conserving the forests but dealing with climate change. Today we have new technologies and concepts of urban forestry, forest risk mitigation, data-driven forest management, and climate-smart forest economies. She urged Indian Forest Service Officers to innovate and come out with new methods for sustainable management of India’s forest resources. She said that they must also play an effective role in protecting our forests from illegal activities which have negative economic and environmental impacts.
The President said that forests are essential for the social, cultural, and economic development of the country. We must keep our forests alive and healthy. Development is a must and so is sustainability. Nature has given us bountiful presents and it is the duty of each one of us to be sensitive and responsible towards the environment. We have to gift our future generations, regenerated natural resources, and a beautiful country with sustainable ecosystems.