Saving Wild India: A Blueprint for Change by Valmik Thapar

Author:Valmik Thapar [Thapar, Valmik]
Language: eng
Format: azw
ISBN: 9789384067373
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Published: 2015-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING

In previous chapters I have dealt with what needs to be done to get the officer cadre in forest services up to speed, but it is, if anything, even more important to hire, motivate and equip the rank and file to do the best job they can to protect and serve wild India. At the moment, large numbers of staff positions are unfilled because of restrictions of the finance department that curtail expenditure. Vacancies create a huge burden on existing staff. We need an experienced committee to go into the matter of staffing and recruitment, including the mechanism for testing a recruit both in terms of fitness and knowledge. We need to get this process right. After all, these foot soldiers are the ones who defend our forest frontiers. This must be a priority area free of financial restrictions so that vacancies don’t occur.

Besides having a clear law, a policy that strengthens it, and finances that support it, we need to train these men and women properly. Most states have training centres, but these need to be overhauled to make them truly inspirational centres of excellence. There are after all sixty-five state forest training schools in India. Again, an expert committee with ex-army instructors needs to review the training protocol so it is challenging and exciting. The training modules will need to be rewritten so that the best is got out of the men who are charged with safeguarding our wilderness. Both men and officers need to be motivated to give their best. For decades, wildlife postings have been treated as ‘punishment postings’ as the job on hand was not considered ‘lucrative’; this attitude has to change if we are to progress. The rangers of Kaziranga in Assam were legendary for their dedication and professional zeal in the 1990s and it is this spirit we need across India if our forests are to thrive.

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