Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award2010
The Ministry of Environment and Forests will give away Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Awards (IPVM)- 2010 tomorrow. IPVM Awards were instituted in 1986 to recognize the pioneering and innovative contribution made by the individuals and institutions in the field of afforestation/wasteland development every year. Till the year 2005, the IPVM Awards were given in 12 different categories having two awardees each. Since 2006, awards are given in four categories namely Individuals including Government Servants, Institutions/ Organizations under Government Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) and Non-Governmental Institutions/Organizations. Only one award carrying a Cash Prize of Rs.2.5 lakhs along with medallion and citation are given for each category.
IPVM Award for States/UTs was introduced in the year 2008 in three categories and cash award along with medallion and citation is given in each of following categories. Big State having geographical area of 80,000 Sq. Km. and above will get Rs 8.00 lakh, Small State having geographical area below 80,000 Sq. Km and Union Territoroes ,both will get Rs 5.00 lakh each.
IPVM Awards are given in the field of afforestation and wasteland development and assessed on the basis of criteria like replicability, innovativeness/creativity, setting up of grassroot level organizations, soil and moisture conservation work and other related activities, target groups like women/weaker sections of society, people in inaccessible/remote areas, work being done over and above the call of duty/involving personal courage, tangible impact in relation to resources mobilized, educative and awareness creating values, etc.
IPVM awards for the States/ UTs are presented on the basis of percentage increase in the forest and tree cover to the geographical area of the state on the basis of India State of Forest Report published by Forest Survey of India, Dehradun. As the State Forest Report is published every two years, these awards are also presented once in two years. The first IPVM Awards for States/UT for the year 2008 were given away on 19.11.2009.
In the I - Individual including Govt. Servants, Shri A.T. Mishra, an Indian Forest Officer , DFO Dhalbhum Forest Division, Jamshedpur has been selected. He was instrumental in undertaking excellent afforestation and eco-restoration works in inaccessible and difficult areas, and under challenging circumstances posed by the Left Wing Extremism in Dhalbum Forest Division. He managed to win the confidence of the local people in the greening effort by linking livelihood enhancement activities with afforestation programme. This strategy helped the Forest Department in afforestation/ eco-restoration of about 3440 hectares of degraded forests during the past three years. In addition 76.4 hectares private lands have also been rehabilitated by planting a variety of local tree species.
Under his leadership, degraded forest areas susceptible to soil and water erosion have been improved through convergence of activities of various schemes. Involving local people, a highly degraded patch of forest land (70 ha) used as a dumping site by industries, was rehabilitated and developed into a Nature Park. In order to enhance the livelihood opportunities of the rural community bamboo working unit was developed
In the second category of Institutions/organizations under the Governmrnt, Forestry Extension Wing,Tamilnadu Forest Department, Chennai has been selected. It showed excellent commitment in popularizing and mainstreaming tree growing culture amongst the farmers and in transferring improved tree cultivation technology to the farmers. 30 Forestry Extension Centers have been established by the Extension Wing which acted as the nodal points for the farmers. Besides imparting training on different forestry activities, extension centers were involved in developing and supplying Quality Planting Material to the farmers for planting in agricultural fields. The organization has carried out extensive tree planting programme in private lands and planted more than 49 lakh plants in an area of 13,551 ha. during the past three years. To sustain the plantation drive and encourage agro-forestry, 28 Tree Growers Societies have been formed and registered in 28 districts of the State.
In the third category of Joint Forest management Committee (JFMC), village Forest Protection and Management Committee, Dani Talai, Range, Bansi, District Pratapgarh, Rajasthan has been awarded. This JFMC has been functional since 1997. They have conserved the local natural resources which helped in sustainable development of the resources as well as the enhancing the livelihoods of the community. More than 500 ha of degraded area have been rehabilitated by planting multipurpose species during the last few years. Due to the active participation and commitment shown by the committee the plantations/regeneration areas have become successful examples in the field. Afforestation, Soil and Moisture Conservation works, sustainable harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Products and wildlife conservation formed the thrust areas of the committee. A variety of interventions aiming the development local people were undertaken like adoption of advanced agricultural implements, constitution of Self-Help-Groups and income generation activities.
In the category of States and Union Territories, three Awards have been declared. Jammu and Kashmir, Mizorram and Chandigarh have been selected for ‘Big State having geographical area of 80,000 Sq. Km. and above’, ‘Small State having geographical area below 80,000 Sq. Km.’ and ‘Union Territories respectively’.
KP