Gyalshing, December 11 (IPR):
The first meeting of the Executive Body for the new Gyalshing Forest Development Agency was held at the Conference Hall of the District Administrative Centre Gyalshing, today.
The meeting was convened in compliance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, for the reconstitution of the previous West Sikkim Forest Development Agency.
The reconstitution of the agency was imperative for the agency as the reorganisation of the districts had led to the bifurcation of the earlier West district into Gyalshing and Soreng districts.
The meeting was chaired by District Collector Gyalshing, Mr Tenzing D Denzongpa.
During the meeting, the Executive Body of the Agency for Gyalshing District was formulated and unanimously passed Resolution No. 1 for the Gyalshing Forest Development Agency. The Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCS) functions under the district were also reviewed.
District Collector Gyalshing appreciated the DFO(T) Gyalshing for sharing insightful information on the framed resolution for the newly constituted agency. He expressed his desire for a holistic implementation of the initiative in the district, aligning with the District Administration's goal of creating community assets at each Gram Panchayat Unit level.
Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial)-cum-CEO, Gyalshing, Mr Jigmee Tsewang Sharngoe, presented the aims, objectives, and guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, for successful implementation in the district.
DFO (Territorial)-cum-CEO termed the significant step towards the effective implementation of the Gyalshing Forest Development Agency in the district. The agency will work towards the conservation and sustainable development of the forest resources in the district, and will strive to create community assets at each Gram Panchayat Unit level.
The new Gyalshing Forest Development Agency was formulated with the Conservator of the Forest Department as Chairman, District Collector Gyalshing as Advisor, and ADC Gyalshing, ADC Dev. Gyalshing, Heads of Offices, and panchayats as members.
The agency's members included, ADC Gyalshing Mr Suresh Rai, ADC (Dev.) RDD Gyalshing Mr Surat Kumar Gurung, Dy. Director Education Mr Dinash Pradhan, Dy. Director Agriculture Dr Karma Bhutia, Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial)-cum-CEO, Gyalshing Mr Jigmee Tsewang Sharngoe, Divisional Forest Officer (Erosion and Sediment Control) Gyalshing Mr Narsing Rai, ACF(T) Gyalshing Mr Pradeep Subba, Welfare Officer, Social Welfare Department Gyalshing Mr Roshan Sharma, Assistant Dairy Development Officer Gyalshing Mr Kamal Pradhan, JE PHED Gyalshing Mr Sajit Rai, and Inspector of the Commerce and Industries Department Gyalshing Mr Dhiraj Jairau.