We have the responsibility to take care and work together to protect and conserve Mother Earth: Keshav Chandra

Port Blair, Dec. 6: A 3-days Compulsory Training Workshop on Natural Resource Management and Conflict Skills for Forest Management for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officers got underway at the at TSG, Grand, Dollygunj today. The Zoological Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre is organising the workshop which is sponsored by the Ministry of   Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra IAS, as the chief guest inaugurated the workshop by lighting the lamp in the presence of Dr. T.S. Ashok Kumar, PCCF & Shri Kamal Datta, IFS, Addl. PCCF, Department of Environment and Forests, A & N Islands, the guests of honours, and the participating delegates from different parts of the Country.

In his inaugural address, the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra IAS, at the outset welcomed the delegates of the workshop who have converged from different parts of the Country to these picturesque Islands to attend the training workshop and also spoke briefly about the history of A&N Islands.

The Chief Secretary stated that we have the responsibility to take care and work together to protect and conserve Mother Earth. Regarding the human- animal conflicts, he said that we need to strike a balance between the human requirements, animal preservation & natural resources. It should not go off balance at any point of time, the Chief Secretary added. 

Referring to the human- animal conflicts in the context of A&N Islands, he said, crocodile conflict is not merely a statistical conflict about how many people were injured/killed in the last few years but we need to find a solution to this problem and a detail discussion should be held in this context. He also urged to find a solution to the human- animal conflict pertaining to the Nicobar long-tailed Macaque (monkey).  

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. T.S. Ashok Kumar, PCCF, Department of Environment and Forests, A & N Islands stated that the topic of the workshop is very appropriate and vital and the participants working in different States in different capacities come across day-today conflicts of different nature including human–animal conflicts. The Forest Officials being the custodians of the land area, resources below the land and biodiversity including flora and fauna has to develop skills for dealing with conflicts of varied nature including human-animal conflicts, he said. Due to the population growth which increases the demand of natural resources is also a factor leading to human animal conflicts, the PCCF said underlining the need for sustainable development as well as sustainable management of natural resources.

In his address, the Addl. PCCF, Department of Environment and Forests, A & N Islands, Shri Kamal Datta, IFS, informed that about 1117 species and subspecies of animals of major groups, both vertebrates and invertebrates, inhabiting terrestrial freshwater and marine habitats are considered endemic to A&N Islands. Referring to the human–crocodile conflict, he said, these Islands have large habitat of crocodile and many a times human beings were injured and become victims to crocodiles. Efforts are on to shift the crocodiles from the human habitats whenever found and from 2019 onwards the Forest Department has shifted 55 live crocodiles to the ‘Chidiyatapu Biological Park’ from different parts of these Islands, he added.

20 Senior Level Indian Forest Officers (IFS) from various States & Union Territory (AGMUT-Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana & Uttarakhand) are attending the workshop and it will continue upto Dec. 8, 2023.

Earlier, Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Officer-in-Charge, ZSI, Port Blair, welcomed the gathering and briefed about the three days programme both class room and field visit. He also emphasized on the role of Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair in organizing various level of training courses. Dr. Swarnakala, Research Consultant, ZSI proposed the vote of thanks.

After the inaugural session, the technical session began with Dr. Sivaperuman’s talk on the overview of Biodiversity of A & N Islands and its challenges. Dr. P.S. Easa, former Director spoke on Biodiversity, Conservation and its challenges in the Western Ghats through various sampling techniques while Dr. Deepak Apte, Managing Director, Srushti Conservation Foundation, Pune gave an overview of Marine Biodiversity & its Conservation in Islands ecosystem with special reference to Lakshadweep. Dr. S. Senthil Kumar, IFS highlighted on Management of human-crocodile conflict and mitigation measures.