Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi called upon forest officials to plant trees that offer fruits, flowers, and shade in residential areas and along roadsides, aiming to build public ownership and improve community engagement in green cover expansion.
Speaking at the inauguration of a tree plantation program during the state-level forest officers’ conference at Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre on Tuesday, the Chief Minister emphasized that one-fourth of Odisha’s population belongs to tribal communities who live in and around forests. He underscored the state’s moral responsibility to ensure their peaceful coexistence, calling for forest officers to adopt a sensitive approach while enforcing forest protection laws among tribal, Dalit, and economically weaker communities.
To address the growing issue of human-elephant conflict, the CM proposed cultivating rice within forest areas as a food source for elephants. Stressing the critical role of the forest department in ensuring environmental balance, he noted the importance of not just tree plantation, but also protection, scientific management, and expansion of forest resources.
Majhi appreciated the forest department’s work in combating poaching and forest fires but set a higher benchmark, urging 100% effectiveness through the use of new technologies, increased public participation, and support from voluntary organizations. He commended the work of Keonjhar’s Pramila Pradhan, a community conservationist whose efforts have become a model for grassroots forest protection.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to a corruption-free administration, the Chief Minister urged forest officials to maintain a service-oriented mindset and contribute meaningfully to the vision of a green and Samruddha Odisha by 2036. He also stressed the need for continuous training and research-based capacity building.
Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia described the forest department as the lifeline of society and emphasized the need for public cooperation and transparency to enhance the department’s credibility and performance.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja highlighted Odisha’s biodiversity richness and called for improved livelihood strategies and awareness among forest-dwelling communities.
The event also saw the signing of a tripartite agreement between the Regional Plant Research Centre, Horticulture Department, and Odisha State Seeds Corporation to supply high-quality fruit saplings to farmers at affordable rates. A short film on the department’s success in forest conservation was screened.
The conference was attended by senior officials including PCCF (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha, PCCF (Kendu leaves) Uma Nanduri, PCCF & HoFF Suresh Pant, ACS Satyabrata Sahu, along with conservators, DFOs, and ACFs from across the state.
