Department of Forest and Climate Change, Government of Chhattisgarh, organised a 3-day national level workshop on ‘Measures for Soil & Water Conservation and Sustainable Management of Minor Forest Produce for Employment Generation’ from 23rd to 25th May, in Raipur. The Workshop was aimed at restoration and rejuvenation of rivers, streams and other water bodies that flow inside the forest areas. The workshop was attended by the Principal Chief Conservators of Forests and other dignitary officers from 17 states and 2 union territories, including Chandraprakash Goyal, IAS, Director General of Forests & Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India and V. Srinivasa Rao IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh.
The various initiatives implemented by the State Government under CM Bhupesh Baghel in furtherance of soil and water conservation in the state’s forests under the CAMPA under the Narva Vikas Program were greatly appreciated. With the functioning of the Narva Vikas Program, under the guidance of V. Srinivasa Rao IFS, PCCF, a significant improvement has been witnessed in the ground water level of the forest areas, thereby ensuring adequate of drinking-water, irrigation and drainage facilities to the local-residents and forest-dwellers. The Narva Program has given momentum to other forest conservation activities. Recently the state's Department of Forest & Climate Change was awarded the prestigious Gold Award for the environment category of 'Skoch Award' for its excellent performance in the state.
Utilising the flagship 'Narva vikas Scheme' Bhupesh Baghel Government, the forest department, under the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh, has worked tremendously during the last four years from the financial year 2019-20 to 2022-23, whereby nearly 6,400 water streams have been revived, and over 1 crore 19 lakh 84 thousand groundwater augmentation related structures have been commissioned to revive and rejuvenate 22.92 lakh hectare of land area in the state, with an expense of 774 crores. These structures include construction of Brushwood Check Dam, Loose Boulder Check Dam, Gabion Structure, Earthen Check Dam, Contour Trench, Water Absorption Trench and Staggered Contour Trench. Apart from this, ground water conservation structures like gully plug, check dam, stop dam, percolation tank and pond, dabri and waterhole etc. are also being constructed.
Besides that, several projects are going on for construction of ground water conservation structures in total 32 forest divisions, and several national parks, tiger reserves, community forestry and elephant reserves under 25 districts of the state, with an expense of 1,288 crores approximately.
Shri V. Srinivasa Rao IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh said that state’s Forest Department has prepared the DPR of Narvas for successful implementation of Narva scheme in forest areas using GIS tools and other techniques, which has started to yield promising outcomes. During the last six months, several senior bureaucrats from other states including IFS professionals have visited the Pampar Nala. Other states have also been directed by the Central Forest Department to study and implement the Chhattisgarh Model.
