Port Blair, May 31: Shri M.S. Negi, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Principal Secretary (E&F) inaugurated the 5days “Bird Watching Guide Training Workshop” jointly organised by the Department of Environment and Forests and Tourism Department, A&N Administration on 31.05.2016 in presence of Smti. Ankita Mishra Bundela, IAS, Secretary (Tourism), at Mini Zoo Auditorium, Haddo.
Shri M.S. Negi, IFS, PCCF and Principal Secretary (E&F) in his inaugural address, appealed to all the participants to respect the Nature and understand about their surroundings. He underlined the importance of forests, wildlife and environment and the non destructive use of the resources for promoting ecotourism in the wilderness areas of the Islands for enhancing the livelihood options. He mentioned that this training workshop is organized with the objective of promoting Bird Watching in the islands which will pave way for creating more employment opportunities by developing qualified bird watchers to open a new chapter in eco-tourism business.
Smti Ankita Mishra Bundela, IAS, Secretary (Tourism) in her presidential address expressed her happiness for the overwhelming response from the participants for the training workshop and complimented the efforts of the forest officials in organizing the same. She informed that more such capacity building programmes would be organised with joint efforts of both Tourism and Forest departments. She urged the participants to have more dedication, passion, commitment and involvement for bird watching activities and urged them to make use of such training programmes to improve their skills and knowledge on the subject. She also underlined the need to work out a business model for bird watching programme in the Islands to reap benefits on a sustainable basis.
The PCCF and the Secretary (Tourism) distributed the training kit, a bag containing field equipments and Bird book to the participants for developing their enthusiasm and passion in bird watching
Dr. K. Ravichandran, IFS, Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) welcomed the gathering and gave a brief overview on the Bird Watching Guide Training Workshop. He mentioned that Andaman & Nicobar Islands with 284 birds species with high level of endemism, considerable number of restricted range species of birds, diverse habitat has great potential for bird watching as an ecotourism activity.
Shri Naveen Kumar P, IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forests (WL) proposed the vote of thanks to the dignitaries and the resource persons from ZSI, ANET and NCBS, Port Blair. A total of 31 persons are attending the training workshop and the group consists of unemployed youth, tourism operators and students.
