Guardians of the green lead way in forest management

The Himachal Pradesh government is actively advancing its mission to conserve forest resources through strategic initiatives. Among these, the recently launched Forest Mitra (Van Mitra) scheme has emerged as a key measure, aiming not only to protect the environment but also to create employment opportunities for local youth. Under the scheme, Forest Mitras are being recruited, trained and deployed to assist the Forest Department in its conservation efforts.

In Sirmaur district, a total of 203 Forest Mitras have been selected. These recruits are currently undergoing intensive five-day training programmes designed to enhance their understanding of forestry operations and improve their on-ground effectiveness. Upon completion of their training, they will be assigned to various forest beats across the district.

Sirmaur Conservator of Forests Vasanth Kiran Babu said the district comprises four forest divisions—Nahan, Paonta Sahib, Renukaji and Rajgarh. In each of these divisions, training is being conducted at two different locations to accommodate the new recruits. The sessions include comprehensive instruction on the working of the Forest Department, the specific duties and responsibilities of Forest Mitras and protocols to be followed during various forest-related operations.

As part of the training, participants are also taken on field visits to gain practical exposure. They are being trained in essential skills such as incident reporting, forest surveillance and preventive measures to be adopted during the fire season. These skills are especially critical during the summer months when the risk of forest fires is at its peak.

Conservator Babu emphasised that the induction of Forest Mitras has significantly bolstered the department’s human resource capacity. Their presence will be instrumental in protecting forest wealth and wildlife, while also mitigating potential damage to life and property during emergencies.

The Forest Mitra scheme, by blending environmental protection with youth empowerment, is emerging as a model initiative in the state’s efforts towards sustainable forest management.