Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have eight special guests from Dehradun in this Republic day parade in Delhi. These special guests have been invited for republic day parade for their exemplary works in forest and wildlife conversation.

Uttarakhand state forest officials informed that eight delegates who have earned acclaims for their remarkable works in the conservation of forest and wildlife have been nominated by the department to be special guests at Republic day parade on January 26.

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These guests were nominated by state forest department after Union Ministry Of Forest, Environment and Climate Change (MoFE and CC) asked it to send the special guests’ entries from the state.

According to the forest department officials in Uttarakhand this will be first occasion when centre has made space for forest and wildlife conversationists as special guests in thd republic day parade.

Although MoEFand CC letter to the state government has not made it clear whether Prime Minister will interact with special guests or not but it’s likely to happen in all probabilities as they will stay as central government guest for three days from January 25 to January 28.

A senior forest official informed that going by the details being collected about the identified special guests alongh with their intelligence reports is an indication that PM might interact with them.

Those nominated as special guests from Uttarakhand include forest officer Dharampal Singh Negi and Vir Bahadur for their remarkable work in rescuing large number of wildlife and minimising man-animal conflict, Videsh Singh Negi, Gajendra Kumar Pathak, Rajesh Bhatt, Rajesh Kashyap, Pratap Singh and Savitri Mamgai for their remarkable contributions in conservation of forests and augmenting incomes of women SHG volunteers.

Letter sent by the MoFE and CC reads “Government of India wishes to invite forest and wildlife conversation volunteers or workers (along with their spouses) as special guests during 76th republic day celebration in New Delhi. The special guests will witness republic day celebrations, visit various monuments and interact with dignitaries and the officials as well.”

Letter also notified that special guest to be nominated by the state will be state forest department employee or Range officers who have done exemplary works in wildlife conversation, forest protection or restoration of degraded forrst lands. MoFE and CC letter further specified that if not forest officials or employees special guests could be “workers, volunteers and accompanying staff who have made special contributions in forest and wildlife conversations and related aspects.

These people will stay in Delhi from January 25 to January 28 as central government guests. This is a good move by the centre to instill confidence among foresters and other people who are working for forest and wildlife conversation.

This will also lead to more volunteers come forward to work for saving forests and wildlife” said Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) BP Gupta.