High level Coordination meeting between Himachal Police and Forest Departments Officers held
Shimla: A High-level coordination meeting between senior officers of the Police and Forest Departments was held here yesterday.
The meeting which was chaired jointly by Dr. Pankaj Khullar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Ashwini Kumar, Director General of Police, was attended
by several senior officers from both the organizations.
D.S. Minhas, ADGP, State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, made a presentation highlighting the major issues requiring immediate attention of the two departments.
Matters of common interest that were discussed at the meeting included launch of a special drive against the organized forest mafia and to curb illicit felling and smuggling of forest produce all over the State. It was decided that joint teams of Police and Forest Departments would organize surprise checks in the forests, organize roadside checks and jointly investigate offences relating to forests.
Another area of common concern was illegal and unauthorized cultivation of Cannabis and Opium in remote forest areas, particularly in the districts of Chamba, Kullu, Mandi and Shimla. It was decided that while the Police Department and Narcotic Control Bureau would share information with the Forest Department, the staff of Forest Department will also actively take steps to detect and destroy these illegal drug yieldings for which all assistance will be provided by the Police Department.
Forest and Police Officers expressed concern over the pendency of investigations concerning FIRs lodged with the Police Department and also delay in disposal of forest produce and vehicles seized for their involvement in forest offences. It was decided that the information would be compiled on a war footing and further action to get these cases decided and disposed of the produce and vehicles shall be taken up on priority.
Valuable suggestions were also received regarding revamping the system for collection of information/intelligence relating to forest offences. It was decided that while Police Department would provide training to Field-level forest functionaries in the area of investigation and prosecution, the Forest Department shall reciprocate by training Police officers in identification and valuation of forest produce. The Police Department offered to extend all assistance to the Forest Department by planting up the areas in and around their campuses and protecting the same, for which the Forest Department will provide the necessary plants and infrastructure.
