ICFRE Signs Two Pacts to Spread Awareness on Forests and Environment

New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), an autonomous council under the Environment Ministry, signed two pacts Monday to spread awareness about forests, and environment among the youths of the country, a government statement said.

The first pact was signed between ICFRE, Dehradun, and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), and the second with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).

"The MoUs have been signed to launch the 'Prakriti' programme, which aims to promote awareness about forests and environment, and to stimulate interest among the students of NVS and KVS in maintaining a balanced environment and for acquiring skills that reflect care and protection towards forests, environment and society," an official statement said.

It added that another objective of the programme is to provide a platform to school children to learn practical skills for judicious use of resources and to mobilise a cadre of youths for raising a peoples' movement committed to conserve forests and the environment.

"Through this collaboration, knowledge will be imparted to students and teachers of NVS and KVS on environment, forests, environmental services and contemporary areas of forestry research by way of lectures and interactive sessions by scientists of ICFRE institutes.

"Visits of students and teachers of NVS and KVS schools will also be arranged to the laboratories and field/experiments of ICFRE institutes for hands-on experiences," the statement added.

Signed for a period of 10 years, the pact is expected to make the youth of the country sensitive towards national and global issues of environment and forests and help them become responsible citizens.

ICFRE, through its nine Institutes and five centres across the country, is guiding, promoting and coordinating forestry research, extension and education at the national level.

Currently ICFRE is focusing on contemporary issues of national and international importance particularly in the areas of climate change, forest productivity, bio-diversity conservation and skill development.

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti was established with the primary objective to provide modern quality education to talented children, predominantly from the rural areas, without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.

At present, it has 660 functional residential schools.

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan was established in 1963 to provide uninterrupted education to wards of the transferable Central Government employees.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra, DG Forests Siddhanta Das and other senior officers.

The MoUs were signed by DG ICFRE, Dehradun, S C Gairola, Commissioner, NVS B K Singh and Commissioner, KVS Santosh Kumar Mall.

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