Frontline forest officials are real heroes: Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary

GUWAHATI: “Climate change has posed a serious challenge to our planet Earth. Assam has always been blessed with abundant wildlife, forests, and biodiversity. But modern times have posed a challenge to effectively protecting our greenery and wildlife. For that, the Forest Department is zealously taking steps to reforest those areas that we have lost due to human habitation so that man-animal conflicts can be reduced.” Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary spoke on Saturday while speaking at the state-level function of the 69th Wildlife Week organized by the Forest Department at the GMCH Auditorium.

Saying that rampant and haphazard construction of buildings and concrete houses has greatly degraded the water bodies and environment, the Forest Minister urged the people to join hands with the government in its endeavour to increase forest cover in Assam. He also gave reference to Amrit Brikshya Andolan, in which more than 1 crore saplings were planted in a single day, and said this was a prime example of mass participation in environmental protection.

Recalling the scarcity of oxygen during COVID times, Patowary said that human society must prioritise trees to offset the ill effects of industrialization and infrastructure building. He also stressed the need to not allow new human settlements in the forest areas by district authorities. In his speech, Patowary appreciated the efforts of frontline forest officials who dedicatedly work in extremely difficult conditions to protect forests and wildlife.

Reiterating the State Budget target of increasing Assam’s forest cover to 38% from the existing 36%, Patowary urged all levels of officers of the Forest Department to work in this direction dedicatedly. He also remarked that species like the greater adjutant stork, vulture, etc. are on the verge of extinction because of human actions, and he called for concerted efforts to generate public awareness in this regard.

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