State forest institute to be replica of Doon FRI

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25

The State Forest Research Institute coming up in Ludhiana’s Ladhowal village will be replica of the heritage building of Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI), the British-era building styled in the Greco-Roman architecture.

Founded in 1878 by the British as the British Imperial Forest School, the existing main building of the FRI was constructed in 1929.

Although smaller in size compared to majestic FRI, the Ludhiana-based institute would have façade and architecture exactly similar to FRI, said Kuldeep Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Punjab.

“We are designing the building on the lines of the FRI as merely a token gesture towards the century-old institution, which has played immense role in the field of forestry in the country. It will be a miniature of FRI, not only in terms of architecture, but also in terms of research. Best part is that senior officials of the FRI themselves floated the idea of constructing its replica and its scientists are involved in development of the state institute,” added Sharma.

The institute will not offer any academic course. However, it would be equipped with high-end laboratories to conduct research in the field of agro-forestry.

Both the Centre and the state government pooled in Rs 24 crore approximately, a large share of which has been used to construct the building of the institute.

“We are hopeful that the institute will start its activities by mid next year. The thrust area of research will be development of fast-growing pest resistance trees,” added Sharma.