Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has instructed the Forest Department to ensure that conservation efforts go hand-in-hand with local economic development, calling for a detailed 10-year perspective plan to promote eco-tourism across forest regions in Uttarakhand. Chairing the 21st meeting of the State Wildlife Board at the Secretariat, Dhami said forest resources should be actively integrated with livelihoods while preserving biodiversity.
Emphasising swift action in human-wildlife conflict cases, the CM directed the implementation of a digital tracking system for faster compensation and prevention. He also asked officials to expedite work on the Zoo and Safari in Haldwani and upgrade forest rest houses with tourist facilities to generate revenue.
The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of renovating Chaurasi Kutiya and enhancing conservation efforts through a joint strategy involving the Forest and Finance Departments. He also called for special attention to preserving Mahseer fish due to its ecological significance.
During the meeting, 25 proposals related to forest land transfer and regulatory clearances within 10 km of protected areas were approved and will now be sent to the National Wildlife Board for final clearance. The Board also gave in-principle approval to open the Rudranath Yatra route through Eco-Development Committees and to establish a Mini Transit Treatment Centre in the Kedarnath Wildlife Division at Gopeshwar.
Officials informed the CM that the National Wildlife Board has cleared 22 major projects in Uttarakhand since the last meeting. They also reported sterilisation of 75,000 monkeys over three years, with a new target of 40,000 across 27 divisions in 2025. Compensation of over ₹19.55 crore was disbursed for human-wildlife conflict cases in FY 2024–25, and four new eco-tourism zones were launched in 2024.
Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal reaffirmed Uttarakhand’s role as a biodiversity hotspot and said forest wealth must be linked with economic opportunities through sustainable tourism. He called for development of more eco-tourism destinations to boost Uttarakhand’s profile as a responsible travel destination.
MLAs Banshidhar Bhagat and Diwan Singh Bisht, Principal Secretary (Forest) R.K. Sudhanshu, DGP Deepam Seth, PCCF and Head of Forest Department Dr. Dhananjay Mohan, PCCF (Wildlife) R.K. Mishra, Secretaries B.V.R.C. Purushottam and Neeraj Khairwal, along with senior officials from multiple departments were present.
