Efforts to open North India’s first forestry university intensified

Lucknow| As per the intention of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, another big achievement is going to be registered in Gorakhpur Forest Division. Under this forest division, which will open the world’s first Rajgiddha (Jatayu) Conservation Centre, the first forestry university of North India and the second forestry university of the entire country will open.

Chief Minister Yogi had announced this about a month ago. Intensifying the exercise for setting up the university, Gorakhpur Forest Division has also identified 50 hectares of land near Jatayu Conservation Centre. The world’s first Jatayu Conservation and Promotion Center has been built at Campierganj (Bhariwaisi) of Gorakhpur Forest Division for the conservation and promotion of extinct Rajgiddhas (Red Headed Vulture).

At its inauguration ceremony on 6 September, Chief Minister Yogi had announced to build Forestry College (Forestry College) in Gorakhpur Forest Division. Later, in a meeting with officials regarding this, he expressed his intention to build a Forestry University City instead of a Forestry College.

As per the intention of the Chief Minister, officials have started preparations. Along with designing the courses run in the Forestry University, the search for land to build the university was started. After looking at some lands, Gorakhpur Forest Division has prima facie found 50 hectares of land adjacent to Jatayu Conservation Centre suitable for making it a Forestry University. Geographically this land is in Maharajganj district, hence Gorakhpur Forest Division has corresponded with the government for allotment of it in the name of Forestry University.

Gorakhpur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vikas Yadav says that along with completing the necessary procedures for the establishment of the Forestry University, drafts of the courses running here are also being prepared. For this, a committee of technical experts has been formed.

DFO says that apart from forestry, there is a plan to conduct degree and diploma courses in agroforestry and social forestry in Forestry University so that a large number of youth can get wide opportunities for jobs and employment. The Forestry University to be established in Gorakhpur Forest Division will be the first of its kind not only in Uttar Pradesh but in the entire North India. Not only this, it will be the second forestry university in the country and the fourth in the whole world.

The country’s first and world’s third forestry university is in Telangana, where the Forestry College and Research Institute have been upgraded to a university. Dehradun has Forest Research Institute as Deemed University established in 1906.