Hyderabad: Telangana State Forest Range Officer Ch. Anitha, Kaghaznagar Range of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district was awarded Late K.V.S. Babu Gold medal for her courage and commitment she displayed towards protection of forest lands in spite of local leaders assaulting her brutally.
Suresh Kumar, Dy Range Officer of Nellore Range, was awarded Gold Medal from Andhra Pradesh State for preventing encroachment of forest lands in Nellore range against all odds. In their award acceptance speech, both the officers categorically said they are very proud to be forest officers and they will give their best to protect and conserve forests.
The 7th Late K.V.S. Babu Memorial Lecture and Gold Medals presentation ceremony took place at Telangana State Forest Academy, Dulapally. A memorial lecture on “Forest Protection in present day scenario” was delivered by P. K. Jha, former PCCF. In his lecture, he traced the history of interaction of forests and people dwelling in forest areas and policies of various governments related to forest lands. He made a point that sources of problems to forests are lying outside forests and solutions also have to be found outside forest areas. The Forest department and forest staff are not against development, but they are only discharging their genuine duties to protect forests. There was a need, he felt, to bring awareness among various sections of people on this aspect.
R. Sobha, PCCF (HoFF), who presided over the ceremony, called upon forest ranger and beat officer trainees to take cue and strive to get such a Gold medal one day. P. Raghuveer, VC&MD, M. Prudhvi Raju, PCCF (Production), S.K. Das, Retired Forest Officers’ Association president, K. Buchirami Reddy, P. Mallikharjuna Rao, PCCF (R ) of AP, and others shared their association with Late K.V.S. Babu.
Phani Prasunamba, wife of Late K.V.S. Babu, who instituted the Gold medals in honour of her late husband, presented Gold medals to the two awardees. Srinivasa Reddy, DCF, represented AP Forest Department, Munindra, PCCF/Director, TSFA, thanked Phani Prasunamba for entrusting the responsibility of coordinating the ceremony to TSFA/CEFNARM.