|
|
Community Forests Handing /Taking Over Ceremony |
|
The Dzongkhag Forestry Section under Paro Dzongkhag has established 6 Community Forests and the charge was handed over to the various Communities in the months of June and July.
The main purpose of setting up Community forests in every community was to help in conserving and protecting of natural resources in a holistic manner, besides meeting up their domestic requirement for timber, poles, firewood, etc.
In line with the decentralization policy of the Royal Government of Bhutan, handing/taking over of the Community Forests from the Dzongkhag Forestry Section to the various Gewogs under Paro Dzongkhag was carried out successively as people’s participation for protection and conservation of forest and environment was always felt necessary by the government.
On June 27th , 2009, the Nemjo Community Forest under Lungnyi Gewog was handed over to the Nemjo Community by the Chief Guest. The Chief Guest for the day was Dzongrab, Dzongkhag Administration, Paro.
On the 29th of June and the 30th of June, the handing taking ceremony of Khangkhu-Pendeling Community Forest to the Khangkhu Community under Wangchang gewog and the handing taking ceremony of Chubjakha Community Forest under Hungrel Gewog to the Chubjakha Community were carried out respectively with the Dzongdag as the Chief Guest on the days.
The Jaba Lingshi Community under Naja Gewog and Zamsa Community under Tsento Gewog were handed over the charges of the Jaba Lingshi Community Forest and the Zamsa Community Forest on 9th of July and 7th of July respectively. The Dzongkhag Forest Officer was the Chief Guest on the 9th of July and Dzongrab was the Chief Guest on the 7th of July.
On 3rd July, the Dagophu Community Forest was handed over to the Dagophu Community under Lamgong Gewog by Dzongrab, who was the Chief Guest for the day.
The Chief Guests in their addresses to the Community people had the same messages to be delivered.
They said taking care of the Community Forest as their own farmland and shouldering additional responsibilities by implementing the management activities parallel with the content of the management plans were some of the roles and responsibilities of the Community Forest user groups.
They said they have high hopes and aspirations that forests would be properly managed and utilized as per the set management plans and by-laws and reminded the Forest user groups to keep fair, clean and proper record of every resources approved as it involves cash transaction.
They emphasized on maintaining 60% forest cover for all times to come and at the same time meeting the basic miscellaneous from the Community Forests.
They said since the dependency rate of rural people on forest for their livelihood is on a higher percentage, it is the collective responsibility of every individual to protect the forest for general benefits. They said resources from Community Forests would help to alleviate poverty and enhance income of the rural lot thereby achieving overall social-economic development.
The Chief Guests concluded their speeches with prayers and best wishes for the proper management of Community Forests by the Community and handed over a sum of Nu. 1500 as seed money to the community fund.
The day came to an end with lunch and Trashi-lebay.
|
|
| |
|
