Gandhinagar: The World Forest Day is celebrated on March 21 to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of trees and forests. This year, the theme for the day is ‘Forests and Food,’ highlighting the crucial role forests play in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. On this occasion, let us talk about Dhaj village in Mandvi Taluka of Surat district, which is Gujarat’s first eco-village. Located in the remote forest area of the Mandvi North Range of the Surat Forest Departmen...Read More

Khambha: A 35-year-old farmer, Mangabhai Boghabhai Bareya, was tragically killed by a lioness in his field in Kakardi Moli village, part of the Jasaddhar range in the Dhari Gir East forest division, Amreli district. According to locals, Bareya was working in his field when the lioness attacked him, dragged him away, and mauled him to death. Despite villagers gathering at the scene, the lioness refused to relinquish the body. The forest department team from Jasaddhar range, led by RFO L.D. Bhar...Read More

Nal Sarovar: Nal Sarovar bird sanctuary will remain shut for visitors during 25 and 26 January due to bird census. Forest department of Gujarat government will conduct a preliminary census of the birds at the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary on 25th and 26th January 2025.  Approximately 100 ornithologists, experts and volunteers will join the preliminary bird census by dividing 46 zones. It is worth mentioning here that the bird census will be conducted in a total area of ​​120.82 sq km including...Read More

Devbhumi Dwarka: Forest officials from the Marine National Park in the district arrested one Nadeem Radia after seizing the carcasses of seven demoiselle cranes at Fakira Pir's shrine along the Dwarka-Mithapur highway. The Range Forest Officer (RFO) received a tip-off about two individuals attempting to sell dead birds. The forest department quickly assembled multiple teams, including an undercover operative posing as a potential buyer. When the two suspects arrived with the carcasses, Radia ...Read More

Gandhinagar: Dr. A.P. Singh, IFS (GJ-RR-1990), currently serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry, Gandhinagar, has been promoted to the Apex Scale of the Indian Forest Service [Level-17 of the Pay Matrix as per the Indian Forest Service (Pay) Rules, 2016]. He has been appointed as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, Gujarat State, Gandhinagar, effective January 1, 2025. Dr. Singh will assume the position following the retirement of N...Read More

Amreli: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has apprehended the Range Forest Officer and a computer operator in Rajula on bribery charges. The accused Range Forest Officer, Yograjsinh Mulubha Rathod, is stationed in Rajula within Amreli district. Another accused, Vismay Rajyaguru, is a computer operator (employed on a contractual basis) who works with Yograjsinh. According to the ACB, a complainant in this case had deposited Rs. 5 lakh for an annual contract approved for civil construction wo...Read More

Ahmedabad: Forest Minister Mulu Bera on Thursday ordered the forest department to take action against unauthorized private websites offering Gir Safari permits. This directive follows a notice from the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC), urging the department to address the issue. Bera held discussions with Principal Secretary Sanjeev Kumar and Head of Forest Force U. D. Singh. After the meeting, Bera informed the media that such unauthorized acts fall under the purview of cybercri...Read More

Gandhinagar: Candidates aspiring to get recruited in the Gujarat state forest department have gathered at Ramkatha Maidan in the state capital to protest against the Computer-Based Recruitment Test (CBRT). Following the announcement of the Forest Department recruitment exam results in Gujarat, frustration has escalated among candidates who claim that unfairness was caused by the CBRT and the normalization method. They are demanding the release of marks and results for all candidates in PDF forma...Read More

Vadodara: The Forest Department on Tuesday raided two shops of the Chudgar family on MG Road and recovered 150 items such as bangles, bracelets, pendles, etc. items made of elephant tusk. When questioned, Chudgars told the Forest Department that they purchased tusks from Manoj Ravjibhai Ugrejiya, a resident of Anklav village in Anand district. Subsequently, raids were conducted at Manoj's house, but nothing objectionable was found there. Manoj has been into wholesale selling of bangles for th...Read More

SuratL The Gujarat Forest Department has uncovered a major racket involved in stealing Khair (Acacia catechu) wood from various forests across South Gujarat. They seized 2,055 metric tonnes of Khair wood worth ₹5.13 crore in Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh. The thefts occurred over the past four years. Following the interception of a truck in Surat's Mandvi South Range on June 16th, forest officials raided a depot in Alirajpur. The wood seized during the raid had been illegally collected from for...Read More