LAKHIMPUR: Forest field officials including Beat Officers from the Territorial and Social Forestry Divisions in Lakhimpur, received training on forest acts and rules during a sensitisation workshop held at the Conference Hall, Divisional Forest Office, in Japisajia on July 30.
Titled, “Legal Workshop on Forest Acts/Rules and Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and Its Application”, the workshop delved into legalities of various Forest Acts including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Jointly organised by the Divisional Forest Office (Territorial Division), Lakhimpur, and Aaranyak, a well-known research-driven biodiversity conservation organisation in the Northeast, the workshop saw active participation from the Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Lakhimpur, Ashok Das. Taking the dais, he shared his valuable experiences in dealing with various court cases throughout his career as a forest officer.
The keynote speaker, Advocate Ajoy Kumar Das, a Senior Law Consultant of Aaranyak and a practitioner at the Gauhati High Court, provided extensive insights into the distinctions and similarities between forest offences and wildlife offences.
The workshop commenced with an inauguration by Range Officer (Protection), Rokibuddin Ahmed, and saw the presence of Range Officers H Nath, G Talukdar, and B Basumatary.
In his closing remarks, ACF Ashok Das applauded the participants for their active engagement in the workshop, stating that the acquired knowledge would empower them to fulfill their responsibilities more effectively, contributing to enhanced conservation efforts.