Strengthening Rapid Response teams at Haridwar- Rajaji landscape, Uttarakhand

04 Oct, 2022

Rapid Response Vehicles are functional for Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in Haridwar-Rajaji Landscape, under the Indo-German Cooperation

Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, in presence of Shri Subodh Uniyal, Forest Minister Uttarakhand, flagged off two Rapid Response Vehicles, provided to the Uttarakhand Forest department by GIZ-MoEFCC under the Indo-German Cooperation project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation, during the inaugural ceremony of Wildlife Week at Lachhiwala nature Park, Dehradun on Oct 1, 2022. These RRT vehicles will be used by the Rapid Response Teams of Uttarakhand Forest Department for effective Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation.

RRT vehicles being flagged off by the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, ©GIZ

The Uttarakhand Forest Department has received these vehicles and associated trainings, as part of the demonstration pilot on the ‘Early Warning and Rapid Response System’ being implemented in the Rajaji-Haridwar landscape, under the Indo-German Cooperation project “Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC)”. The Indo-German project is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India and the State Forest Departments of Karnataka, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

The Rapid Response Vehicles, ©GIZ

The vehicles have been fabricated to suit the field requirements of the rapid response teams, animal health safety aspects, and past experiences in the use of rescue vehicles in similar landscapes in India. Several other equipment for the Rapid Response Teams has already been provided under the Project and trainings are being provided to the personnel for effective use of this equipment, including radio collars for elephant and leopards, camera traps, specialised equipment kits for the rapid response teams for patrolling, rescue and driving operations, and a rapid response vehicle.

The officers from Uttarakhand Forest department included Mr. Vinod Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Force); Dr. Samir Sinha, IFS Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden; Mr. Ranjan Mishra, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife); Dr. Saket Badola, Director Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Mr. Sadhu Lal Paliyal, Sub Divisional Officer, Haridwar Forest Division. Mr. Vimarsh Sharma, Forestry & Biodiversity Advisor and State Coordinator for Uttarakhand, Indo-German Project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in India represented GIZ India in the event.

Mr. Pushkar Singh Dhami and Mr. Subodh Uniyal also saw the demonstration by the Division-level Rapid Response Team(RRT) of various equipment from the RRT Kit provided to the Rajaji Tiger Reserve under the project and appreciated the efforts put in by the Indo-German Project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC) and Uttarakhand Forest Department in mitigation of human wildlife conflict. He also thanked the GIZ for providing the Rapid Response Vehicle for Haridwar-Rajaji Landscape.

The Chief Minister and senior officials of the state visiting the display of the RRT equipment provided to Uttarakhand Forest Department by GIZ under the Indo-German Project, ©GIZ

The Indo-German Project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC) aims at providing technical support at the national level, and effective implementation of HWC mitigation measures in selected states. The project pilot sites are Kodagu in Karnataka, Haridwar-Rajaji in Uttarakhand and Gorumara in West Bengal.

*

About the project

The Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC) project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and State Forest Departments of Karnataka, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. The project aims at providing technical support at the national level, and effective implementation of HWC mitigation measures in selected states of India. The project pilot sites are Haridwar Forest Division and adjoining landscape including Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, Gorumara Wildlife Division in West Bengal, and Kodagu Forest Circle in Karnataka.

The main objective of the project is that the rural population in project areas, where agreed guidelines and tools are applied to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, is better protected against it. The project takes the approach of harmonious coexistence, by ensuring that both—humans and wildlife—are protected from conflict. Read More

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de