Dress is dignity, which differs officer from common people and we should have respect for the dress we are wearing. The views were expressed by Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) during the first convocation ceremony and passing out parade of forest beat guards here at Forest Training School (FTS), Ambikapur on Sunday. In all 209 beat guards embarked upon their service after the PCCF administered them with oath.
The ceremony has established a new tradition in the forest department which earlier was practised only in Army and police department. During the passing out parade outstanding beat guards were conferred with awards and medals for their activity and performance during the training period. In addition, awards were also given for outstanding achievement in academics, sports, parade, PT, cultural event etc. The Jashpur contingent won first prize in the parade event.
Addressing the gathering PCCF Dhirendra Sharma said that we should work to safeguard the forest in the State. “We cannot increase the forest area but we can increase productivity from it by protecting the forest in a better way.” Boosting the moral of the new forest beat guards he said work of a forest beat guard is very important. He has to work with forest dwellers for schemes like Joint Forest Management. He has to work like an engineer during the construction of roads and buildings in forest areas and he has also to manage the accounts.
Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) KC Kisku who was also present on the occasion also addressed the gathering of energised forest beat guards ready to serve the department.
At the outset Vivek Acharya Divisional Forest Officer South Surguja Division presented the annual report of FTS. He informed that this was the first batch to pass out from FTS Ambikapur which was established on October 1, 2010 in Ambikapur by Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh. “Out of the total pass out beat guards 36 were untrained guards who had joined services earlier while all others were fresher,” informed Acharya.