Courageous woman Forest Range Officer Anitha bags gold medal

Hyderabad: Ch Anitha, Telangana State Forest Range Officer of Kaghaznagar Range of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, who was attacked by the brother of a ruling party MLA, has bagged the Late KVS Babu Gold Medal.

According to Telangana State Forest Academy (TSFA) officials, the award was instituted in the memory of KVS Babu, who worked as a principal conservator of forests in united Andhra Pradesh. The award was conferred on Anitha for showing courage and commitment she displayed towards the protection of forest lands in spite of local leaders assaulting her brutally.

Besides, I Suresh Kumar, Deputy Range Officer of Nellore Range from Andhra Pradesh was also awarded Gold Medal. He bagged the award for preventing encroachment of forest lands in Nellore range against all odds.

Responding while accepting the awards, the forest official said that they would continue to give their best for the protection of forests.

Later, former PCCF PK Jha delivered the KVS Babu 7th Memorial Lecture on "Forest protection in present day scenario". He highlighted the history of the interaction of forests and people dwelling in forest areas and policies of various governments related to forest lands.

He made a point that sources of problems to forests are lying outside forests and solutions also have to be found outside forest areas. The Forest department and forest staff are not against development but they are only discharging their genuine duties to protect forests, he added.

Jha stressed the need to bring awareness among various sections of people on this aspect. PCCF (HoFF) R Sobha, who presided over the ceremony called upon all forest ranger and beat officer trainees to take a cue and strive to win such a gold medal.

P Raghuveer, VC&MD TSFDC, M Prudhvi Raju, PCCF (Production), S K Das, president Retired Forest Officers' Association, K Buchirami Reddy, P Mallikharjuna Rao, PCCF (R ) of AP, and others shared their association with late KVS Babu.

Phani Prasunamba, the widow of Babu who instituted the gold medals in honour of her husband, presented the gold medals to the two awardees.