Forest Minister flags off Manipur van Dhan Naturals

Imphal, Jun 17 (DIPR)
Forest Minister Awangbow Newmai today flagged off Manipur Van Dhan Naturals to Tribes India Outlets through TRIFED Regional offices at Guwahati and Delhi.
He also launched the Nature Learning Centre (NLC) website under National Mission on Himalayan Studies, inspected the museum and Interpretation Centre at NLC and later met senior forest officers at the Mantripukhri Forest Complex.
The Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) addressed their grievances to the Minister and senior officers.
They informed that most of the offices in the districts were facing staff shortage, lack of infrastructure, no marked land for divisional offices, no quarters for DFOs, encroachment issue, frequent transfer and posting, no patrolling vehicle especially in the border area, need for arms for the field staff, need for legal advisor due to various Court cases in the higher Court as well as in lower Court among other issues.
On the issues raised by the DFOs Awangbow Newmai, said the DFOs have shown that they have been working seriously, carrying out their respective assignments diligently. He said he is proud to learn that the Manipur Forest Department is ahead in many areas in comparison to their counterparts in neighbouring States.
Additional Chief Secretary MH Khan (Forest and Environment) informed the officers that he will accompany the Forest Minister and inspect each divisional forest office in order to take stock of the situation and address the grievances faced by the staff of the respective offices.
He also stressed on the need for a permanent building or complex of the Forest Office across the different divisions in the State. In addition to the legal advisor at Secretariat who is dealing with Court cases of the department, he suggested that two legal advisors (one for hills and one for valley) can be hired to deal with the Court cases in the districts which can be collaborated with the DFOs.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force (PCCF and HoFF) Kereilhouvi Angami informed that for the initial phase a proposal has been sent to provide arms to 100 field staff. He informed that to ease the financial constraint it is also suggested to procure old guns from the State Police Department.
He said after considering the financial constraints of some of the staff, the department has submitted a proposal that the Forest staff starting from the post of Forest Guard to Deputy Range Officers should be given 13 months pay and ration money as they are doing all round field duty.
He also said the department has a proposal to procure additional vehicles and strengthen the strength of the staff.