OFSDP ( Orissa Forestry Sector Development Project) annual review was held in Hotel Sai International in Rayagada today. Collector Rayagada in capacity of the Chairman District Advisory Committee presided over the meeting. Sri. Bakhla, IFS, Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, Koraput also attended the meeting along with DFO Rayagada, senior district level officials of other departments and field level forest officers. Members of the village Vana Suraksha Samiti from different areas were also present.
RCCF Koraput in his inaugral address explained the objectives and different initiatives of the OFSDF project. Collector Rayagada said that the forests are like a hen that gives golden eggs and we have to be patient and sensible in consuming the fruits of nature. Indiscriminnate felling of trees by forest mafias for timber and by local communities for shifting cultivation is rapidly depleteing the forest cover and has brought us to a situation, where the very existence of tribal communities is at stake. Due to incresed population and changing lifestyle there is lot of pressure on forests and has also led to man anoimal conflict in many areas. To mitigate this sitaution projects like OFSDP come handy, wherein there are two aspects, one that of conservation and sustainable use of forest resources and creating livelihood opportunities.
