Break the nexus of mafia in the forests - Governor Narasimhan tells IFS trainees

Hyderabad, October 03: Addressing the Indian Forest Service (IFS) trainees of 2017 batch at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Sri E.S.L. Narasimhan said that if a man like him could reach this position every one of them have a chance to rise up in their careers. He told the Probationers to enjoy life during training period, go through hardship, maintain good relationships and the fraternity feeling of the All India Service.

The Governor said Indian Forest Service is a highly specialised service and said gone are the days when only specialised service people held specialised positions in government. He said in fact senior IFS officers helped him during state bifurcation on several issues and told the officers to not to confine to their service as many IFS officers went on to occupy important positions in the government. Governor told the IFS Probationers to develop fresh ideas and not to confine only to forests. He told the officers that the challenges they face are very high in safeguarding the environment, wildlife, dealing with anti-national elements in forests.

The Governor recalled his days as Governor of Chattisgarh and how he came to understand that the Forest Guards were tasked with protection of  the forests and guard 10 Sq. KMs with only a lathi and a torch light without batteries. He told the officers that as they are not going to live in the forests, they should ensure that the forest guards are empowered to ensure proper protection of forests.

The Governor said tree felling is big menace and is done on a large scale and many times it is a mafia which is operating in the forests. He recalled the example of tendu leaves collection in Chattisgarh which was taken out of the hands of mafia and middlemen by establishing linkages between government and tribal people. Governor told the officers to utilise the forest produce, make the lives of tribals better and help the government in getting revenue. He said poaching is the game of the elitist and asked them to promote development of forests, set up hospitals, schools and told them to come up with innovative ideas to improve the lives of tribal people as living conditions in forest areas are pathetic.

Governor told officers to not to break the moral and ethics code. He told them to develop core values which are not negotiable and that professional integrity, morality and ethics should be the hall mark of their careers. Governor also interacted with the IFS Probationers with a question and answer session.

PCCF Sri Raghuveer and Addl. PCCF  Sri Munindra also participated in the programme.