Nagpur Forest Division, Pench Wildlife Wing and Social Forestry Department organised different programmes on Monday to celebrate International Day of Forests.
Rangnath Naikade, Chief Conservator of Forest, Nagpur, guided the youngsters and flagged off cycle rally at Ambazari garden gate no: 4. Members of Tiger Group of Adventure and others totalling 47 wildlife lovers participated in the rally.
Avinash Londhe, Honorary Wildlife Warden, also organised a bird watching programme in which volunteers of Bird of Vidarbha and The Heritage Conservation Society took part.
Later, N Vasudevan, Managing Director, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), Shailesh Tembhurnikar, PCCF (CAMPA), Sunil Limay, PCCF (Wildlife), Shrinivas Rao, Managing Director, Maharashtra Bamboo Development Board, B S Huda, APCCF, Sanjiv Gaur, Chief General Manager, FDCM, Rushikesh Ranjan, General Manager, FDCM and other senior officers gave away certificates in appreciation of their outstanding services to forester officers/employees, performed tree pujan, plantation and honoured veterinarians, progressive farmers, NGOs. Later, they addressed the gathering and stressed on protection and conservation of flora and fauna.
A webinar was also organised on increasing income of farmers through agro-forestry in which Rangnath Naikade, Ramesh Kumar, Dr V M Illorkar and others expressed their views, informed Dr Bharat Singh Hada, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Nagpur.
Similarly, N Vasudevan inaugurated pick up and drop point at Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoo in which Sunil Limaye, Shailesh Tembhurnikar, Sanjeev Gaur and Rushikesh Ra njan were present. The management organised safari programme for 70 students with disability. The guests also honoured freedom fighters Mohan Madne, Ganpatrao Kumbhare and Mahadev Kamdi, who then enjoyed Indian safari. Kalapan Chinchkehde, Asstt Manager, FDCM, conducted the programme while Sujit Kolangad proposed a vote of thanks.
