Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra Awards for pioneering work in afforestation
	18:1 IST

Backgrounder The Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra (IPVM) Awards have been given today in recognition of the pioneering and innovative contribution made by the individuals and institutions in the field of afforestation/ or wasteland development. Union Minister of Environment and Forests (independent charge) gave awards to the winners for the year 2006, 2007 and 2008. The IPVM awards were instituted in 1986 and are given annually. The activities deciding the awards are establishing decentralized nurseries; tree planting on wastelands/farm land; awareness- raising, motivations and extension work; involving the rural poor/ tribal / cooperatives in Afforestation and tree planting; setting up grass-roots level institutions like the Tree Growers’ Cooperative; and social fencing of community woodlots and pasture lands. IPVM Awards, given in 12 categories till 2006, are now given in 4 categories namely individuals including Government servants, Joint Forests Management Committee (JFMC),Institutions / organizations under Government ,and Non –Governmental Institutions /Organizations. In each category, only one award is given. Cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs along with medallion and citation is given for each category. The awards are given on the basis of innovative efforts and outstanding work in Afforestation, with special reference to wastelands development and involvement of the people. For the year 2006, Shri U. Veerakumar from Tamilnadu received the Award in ‘individual including government servant’ category .He joined forest service in the year 1982 as a Forests Ranger in State Forests Department, Tamilnadu who is well known for his exemplary works in the field of forestry extension. He has developed model demonstration plots of high yielding varieties for sustainable livelihood opportunities. The model attracted a large number of farmers to come forward and adopt the same not only for eco-conservation but also to enhance returns from agricultural crops. His endeavour to provide free technical advice to the farmers for reclamation of wasteland through soil improvement and nutrient management merits special mention. In order to make tree cultivation as a people’s movement, he devised a unique “one family –five tree” package which became immensely popular in Pudukkottai District. He also promoted a Tree Growers Society in Pudukkottai District. ‘Individual including Government Servent. The IPVM Award for the year 2006, in the category of ‘Institutions / Organization under Government’, has been awarded to the Social Forestry Division, Junagarh. This division has been taking up the plantation works in pasture, as well wasteland and farmlands. The organization puts special emphasis for taking up planting works in the fallow land along road, railway line and canal bank. The Division has also taken up planting activities in urban areas with the help of Urban Development Department, local people and institutions with astounding success. The organization also popularized fuel saving methods and devices like improved crematoria, smokeless stove, bio-gas and solar lantern to reduce the dependence of the people on biomass resources specially trees. The Division has put tremendous efforts in organizing Kisan Shivirs for creation of environmental awareness among the framers and local people. It has formed several eco-clubs in high schools and organized a number of programmes to inculcate awareness on environment conservation in young minds. In the category of ‘Joint Forest Management Committee, 2006’,25 woman self help groups within Binodpur Baikunthapur forests protection committee under Raidighi range of 24-Parganas(south ) Division, West Bengal received the Award. Twenty five Self Help Groups belonging to Binodpur Barkunthapur Forests Protection Committee were formed by the State Forests Department in the year 2004. This was with an objective to save the biodiversity of the area. These groups contributed substantially towards the challenge of greening the Sunderban delta and took many initiatives for successfully planting on the vacant land, along village roads, irrigation canals and river embankment. The Self Help Groups initiated a novel programmes called “AMAR BON” (My Forests ) which is first of its kind in Raidighi Range. All the members are actively engaged in protection of forest from illicit Man-Animal conflict in the locality. A number of Income Generating Activities (IGA) has also been carried out by the group to provide sustainable livelihood options to the people. The Jalgrahan Institution, Sattu, located in village panchayat Bhojato ka Oda, Dungarpur,Rajasthan received IPVM under ‘Non Government Institution/ Organisation, 2006’ category. The institution is working on plantation and environment management practices. The nominee has promoted plantation of economically viable species and has carried out pasture development as well as conservation of arable and non arable land by utilizing the resources from diverse sources like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) and Tribal Development Department. A large number of socio- economic activities were also taken up to promote sustainable livelihood for reducing migration of villages to urban destinations. For the year 2007, the winners are each from Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Shri B.B Limbasiya has been awarded the Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra Award 2007 under the category of ‘Individual including Government Servant.’He is a conscientious and enterprising forest officer working as Assistant Conservator of Forests in Gujarat Forests Department, Rajkot, in extremely hostile conditions, he has endeavored to reclaim the wastelands with the considerable success. The target area consisted of land along narrow pavements, road side, foot- path and small patches of open land in residential areas which were earlier replete with municipal solid waste as well as waste material from construction activities. He could mobilize and motivate the local communities, housing societies, educational institutions, eco-clubs, senior citizen groups and community leaders to ensure massive people’s participation in his conservation effort. His efforts got manifested in changed landscape of the area as well as in social empowerment and awareness of the local people. The IPVM Award, in the ‘Institution / Organization under Government’ category for the year 2007, has been awarded jointly to Department of Forests and Department of Education, Government of Kerala, Thiruananthpuram for their commendable works.Social Forestry Wing of Kerala Forests Department carries out afforestation works outside the forests area to achieve the target to bringing 33 percent of land area under forests. The Department launched massive afforestation programme called “Enter – Maram Paddhathi” (My Tree Programme) and implemented with the involvement of school children in close coordination with Education Department of Kerala. More than 20 lakhs seedling were planted on the occasion of World Environment Day by the students of more than 6000 schools in entire State on single day. The nominee has involved the local people in nursery raising and transportation of seedlings from the nurseries to the schools. The efforts have created massive environmental awareness among the people as well as substantial green wealth.These two departments education have set an example in motivating a large number of youth and demonstrated innovative and efficient method to achieve tangible result of greening the bare landscape. The innovative work has been proposed to Guinness book of world Record for planting highest number of tree seedlings in a single day. The village Forests Protection and Management Committee, Paliakhera , Rajasthan,has been awarded the IPVM Award, in the category of ‘Joint Forests Management Committee’, for the year 2007. Forests Protection and Management Committee, Paliakhra under the Jhadole Range in Rajasthan has been working since 1996 and has accomplished commendable outcome in the field of plantation, forestry development, wasteland utilization, soil and moisture conservation and management of natural resources. The nominee has reclaimed substantial wasteland through directed plantation and moisture conservation works though creation of loose stone check dams and contour trenches in the planting area. A large number of socio economic activities were also taken up with the help of Self Help Groups for generating sustainable livelihood options and reducing dependency on forests. The Committee has also taken up responsibility for protection and management of natural forests and carried out the same commendably. The IPVM Award, in the Non Government Institution /Organization category for the year 2007, has been awarded to the Nisarg Seva Samiti, Wardha,Rajasthan in recognition of its outstanding achievements and resourceful initiatives. Established in the year 2001, Nisarg Sewa Samitihtra is devoted to environmental conservation and management of natural resources on sustainable basis. The major activities taken up by the organization include development of nurseries, plantation and creation of environmental awareness among people in Wardha District. The Samiti has planted large number of seedlings along the road side open spaces in residential colonies. Through successfully reclaimed the area having shallow soil depth and rocky wasteland with hard basalt. The nominee has taken up considerable soil and moisture conservation works like contour trenching, percolation tank and other water harvesting structures. The Samiti has mobilized people by forming tree plantation become trees in future. The organization has also made determined efforts for creating environmental awareness and extension activities. Some of the novel Ghar, Ek Vriksha, (ii) Tree Plantation on Birthdays, (iii) Vriksha and (iv) Dehdan Vriksha, (v) Vivah Vriksha and (vi) Plantation by Nature Clubs. The winners for the year 2008 are from Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Orissa. Shri P. Sivakumar, an Indian Forests Service Officer, working as Divisional Forests Officer, Digboi Assam, received IPVM, 2008 in the category of ‘Individual including Government Servant’. He has done commendable work in the field of environmental awareness, social empowerment of communities, afforestation sustainable livelihood options for the people and protection of forests with people’s participation in Nagaon South Division, Hojai, Assam. He introduced appropriate agro-silvicultural models for ensuring soil conservation as well as providing sustainable income to forests dependent communities. Citronella grasses planted in interspaces of teak and bamboo plants was one among them. His novel method to publish statement of expenditure in vernacular language in public places brought about tremendous transparency in the functioning of his establishment. He also empowered the local communities by delegating them the power to carry out social trials of minor of minor offences like grazing and fishing in the forests area. His efforts resulted on bringing down the occurrence of forests offences like illicit felling and poaching. IPVM Awad, 2008 in the category of ‘Institution / Organization under Government’ is awarded to Range Forests Office ,Taluka Sewa Sadan, Khambat, Gujarat for their outstanding contribution to wasteland reclamation and forestry development.Tt has taken up innovative initiative of planting mangrove species Avicennia marina, on the shores of Gulf of Khambat. The area did not have prior record of mangrove egetation. Taking up massive planning activities in such coastal areas are extremely difficult because the phenomenon of high and low tides reduce the working hour to a mere six hours per day. The organization has planted more than two thousand hectare area with Avicennia marina by adopting there different models. Proper execution and local support has resulted in near cent percent survival. The plantations not only provide enough fodder for the cattle, it has also improved the ground water level and reduced the salinity of the wells the credit of this outstanding works goes to all the staff of Range Forests Office, Khambat. The van Suraksha Evam Prabandh Samiti, Gram Karel,The Jadol,Udaipur, Rajasthan has been awarded the IPVM Award, 2008 in the category of ‘Joint Forests Management Committee’.Karel, a predominantly tribal village, is located in Jhadole Teshil of Udaipur distinct of Rajasthan. Van Suraksha Evam Prabandh Samiti, Karel, formed in the year 2000, has carried out excellent work in the fields of plantation, forestry development, wasteland utilization, soil and moisture conservation and management of natural resources. The nominee has planted a number of economically viable species in substantial area. The effort put in by the Samiti have appropriately resulted in greening of hitherto barren area. A number of Income generating sustainable livelihood options and reducing dependency on forest. The Samiti has earned substantial revenue from bamboo harvesting and it is on the way to becoming an economically viable entity. The IPVM Award, 2008 in the category of ‘Non Government organization’ has been awarded to the Women’s Mandua, Women’s organisation for Socio-cultural Awareness(WOSCA) in recognition of its outstanding achievements in institutions building and wastelands development at Keonjhar, Oissa. WOSCA is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) working since 2003 in Keonjhar Distirct of Orissa. WOSCA initiated village institution building works through formation and promotion of Self Help Groups, village development Committees and Forest Protection Groups. These village institutions successfully implemented a livelihood project with an objective to enhance the sustainable livelihoods of the poor and management of Natural Resources. In various villages, the NGO had set up a number of nurseries and reclaimed more than 265 hectares of wasteland by adopting various soil and water management techniques. Three Livelihood cooperatives were also formed to promote collective marketing of the forest and agriculture and agriculture produce. The rain water harvesting model developed and implemented by the WOSCA has been adopted by NABARD for replication in other projects. Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra Awards for States and UTs were also conferred today. It was instituted in 2008 to recognize the contribution of States/UTs in enhancing the percentage of forest and tree cover to achieve the national objective of 33% Forest Cover. The basis for selection of the award is the State Forest Report published biennially by the Forests Survey of India. It is to be awarded once in two years. The IVPM Awards to the States and UTs 2008 for Big States having geographical area of 80, 000 Sq. km. and above carrying prize money of Rs. 8.00 lakhs with scroll and citation has been won jointly by the Stats of Jammu & Kashmir and Bihar for ambulate and percentage increase in Forests & Tree Cover respectively. Each of the States will be given Rs. 4.00 lakhs along with a scroll and citation. The IVPM Awards to the States and UTs 2008 for Small States having geographical area below 80, 000 sq. km. carrying a prize money of Rs. 5.00 lakhs with a scroll and citation has been won jointly by the States of Kerala and Goa for absolute and percentage increase in Forest & tree Cover respectively. Each of the States will be given Rs. 2.50 lakhs along with a scroll and a citation The IPVM awards to the States and UTs 2008 for Union Territories carrying a prize money of Rs. 5.00 lakh with a scroll and citation has been won jointly by the UTs of Delhi and Lakshadeep for absolute and percentage increase in Forest & Tree Cover respectively. Each of the union Territories will be given Rs. 2.50 lakhs alognwith a scroll and a citations KP/