Infrastructure and Human Resource Development [IHRD] Wing

The office of the Chief Conservator of Forests (IHRD) was established as an independent office vide GO (Rt) No. 411/2004/F&WLD dated 4.10.2004 after upgrading the post of Conservator of Forests (IHRD) to that of the Chief Conservator of Forests (IHRD). Now, the post of CCF (IHRD) has been upgraded as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (IHRD) vide GO (Rt) No.5671/11/GAD dated 23.07.2011.

The Kerala Forest School Walayar, Kerala Forest School Arippa, Forest Training Centre Arippa, Fire Training Centre Arippa and Forest Training Centre, PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram are functioning under the administrative control of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (IHRD).

Details of the Institutions

  1. Kerala Forest School Walayar

Kerala Forest School, Walayar was established vide GO (MS) 1220/61/Agri dated 5.12.1961 for the purpose of imparting training to the Foresters and Forest Guards of the KFD. The School is situated adjacent to Walayar Dam in Palakkad District on the border of Kerala and Tamilnadu about 25 kms from the District Headquarters and about one km from the Palakkad –Coimbatore NH 47.

The first batch of foresters and forest guards commenced their training on 01.01.1962. The School started functioning on land and buildings transferred from the Public Works Department and which were part of Walayar Dam Colony. An extent of 18.2601 ha of land transferred by the PWD on payment of the land value and 1.3193 ha of land already available with the KFD constituted the original Forest School Campus. Semi-permanent buildings, which existed on these lands, were also taken by the KFD to be used as quarters, office buildings, class rooms and hostel, etc.

2. Kerala Forest School, Arippa

Kerala Forest School, Arippa was established vide GO(MS) 167/81/Forest dated 27.5.1981 for imparting training to foresters and forest guards making use of the existing facilities available in the training school previously belonging to the Kerala Forest Development Corporation.

3. Fire Training Centre, Arippa

The Fire Dept cum training centre was started on 22.01.1979, as per GO. No. 268/78/AD dated 5.10.1978 at Kulamavu with the objective of imparting training to the staff of Kerala Forest Department on modern fire fighting techniques. This Centre was later shifted to the Social Forestry Training Complex at Arippa as per GO (Rt) 4194/88/GAD dated 23.05.1988 and continues to function from there. This Centre has so far trained 178 batches of trainees.

4. Forest Training Institute, Arippa

The Forest Training Institute was established on 20.04.1990 as per GO (MS) 111/89/F&WLD dated 21.11.1989 at the Social Forestry Training Complex, Arippa. This Centre has conducted 72 batches of refresher training courses.

5. Forest Training Centre, PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram

The FTC, PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram was established under the World Bank assisted Kerala Forestry Project during 2001-02. The Centre is organizing refreshers courses for various levels and categories of personnel of the KFD.

Major Activities of the IHRD Wing

Induction Trainings:

Imparting induction training to both foresters and forest guards on forestry related subjects such as forest botany, forest mensuration, forest act and rules, forest survey, forest engineering, wildlife management, etc., through class room teaching besides practical training in the school campus and also conduct of study tours within and outside the state. During the study tours, providing inputs on the practical aspects of forestry is given top most priority like dealing with forest offences, silvicultural operations, timber operations including sale and regeneration techniques. Physical fitness, exercises and games are part of the curriculum.

In-service Trainings:

Short term in-service training courses are organized at the Forestry Training Centre, Arippa and Forestry Training Centre, PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram for the following categories of officers:

1.                   Assistant Conservator of Forests

2.                   Forest Range Officers

3.                   Deputy Forest Range Officers/Depot Officers

4.                   Section Forest Officers

5.                   Beat Forest Officers

6.                   Senior/Junior Superintendent/Head Accountant

7.                   Personal Assistants/Confidential Assistants

8.                   UD Clerk/LD Clerk

9.                   Drivers

10.               Last Grade Employees

Refresher courses for frontline staff:

Refresher courses sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India through the Directorate of Forest Education, Dehradun are organized for frontline staff (Deputy Forest Range Officers/Section Forest Officers and Beat Forest Officers) at KFS, Walayar and KFS, Arippa

Deputation of IFS Officers/State Service Officers for trainings/workshops

Officers are deputed for trainings/workshops etc sponsored by the MoEF and other Ministries of the GOI and the State Government to the premier institutions in the country.

STP Trainings:

The wing coordinates various trainings as per the State Training Policy, being organized by Institute of Management in Government at its Centres at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

Implementation of an externally aided JICA project –"Capacity Development for Forest Management and Training of Personnel"

The KFD is implementing the JICA funded Project (ID-P-199) titled –"Capacity Development for Forest Management and Training of Personnel" being steered by the MoEF, GOI for up-gradation of infrastructure of the Forest Schools and improving the syllabus and course curriculum for the induction training of the frontline staff (forest guards and foresters) of the Forest Departments in eleven states including Kerala. Detailed Project Reports for infrastructure up-gradation of KFS Arippa and Walayar were approved for Rs. 4.87 and 4.58 crores respectively by the Government of India and 80% of the approved amount released through state Forest Development Agency. The infrastructure up-gradation mainly includes renovation of existing buildings and construction of new buildings (also amenities like gym, recreation room, guest house for faculty), providing furniture and equipment, etc.   Implementation of infrastructure up-gradation works through M/S COSTFORD has started during May 2012 and shall be completed within 18 months. As provided in the project, a consultancy team for preparation of training manuals, training materials, and overall training improvement plan for frontline staff has been engaged from 01-06-2012. Consultancy team is expected to complete their task within 30 months and approved remuneration is Rs 35.94 lakhs.

The KFD has decided to fix the intake capacity of the two Schools for imparting induction training to 160 i.e. two courses for a batch of 40 each of six months duration.

Other activities

Besides this IHRD wing is responsible for coordinating conduct of state forest sports meet and participation in the national Forest Sports meet sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, GOI.

CONTACT ADDRESSES

Training Schools/Centres

Shri.S. Gopalakrishnan, IFS