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The Gujarat government reorganised the Porbandar Forest Division in a bid to strengthen the rehabilitation of Asiatic lions in the Barda forest, according to an official statement issued by the state government on Tuesday.
Asiatic lions naturally returned to Barda after 143 years, prompting the state government to reorganise the Porbandar Forest Division to support their rehabilitation. Under the guidance of Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia and Minister of State Pravin Mali, the decision aims to bring clearer responsibilities for forest conservation and wildlife management in Porbandar district, including Barda, along with changes in the administrative control of ranges, beats, officers, staff, vehicles, weapons, wireless equipment and other resources. According to the official resolution passed by the Forest and Environment Department, the reorganisation will strengthen forest management, facilitate the implementation of Forest Department schemes, and ensure faster resolution of forest and environment-related issues.The new structure defines responsibilities at the range, beat and officer levels to enable more systematic field-level operations across the district. Under the reorganisation, the Porbandar Range has been newly structured to cover 6,840.84 hectares across 80 villages, divided into beats including Porbandar City, Gosabara, Moker, Visavada, Kantela, Madhavpur and Satiya. The Ranavav Range now covers 13,051.25 hectares and 27 villages, organised into beats including Godana, Bileshwar, Savdivadar and Ranavav. In another change, 305.94 hectares from the RFW Bhatia Range under the Jamnagar Forest Division has been brought under the Bhanvad Range of the Porbandar Forest Division. This area spans four villages in Bhanvad taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka district: Kandarda Jogna, Sajdiyala, Juna and Jambusar, which will now come under the administrative control of the Porbandar Forest Division. The Kutiyana Range, along with the Porbandar Social Forestry Range and Ranavav Social Forestry Range, has also been brought under the Porbandar Forest Division, with corresponding changes to staff roles and the transfer of vehicles, weapons, walkie-talkies, wireless equipment, records, computers and furniture. Following the reorganisation, two Assistant Conservators of Forests have been provisioned for the division. Assistant Conservator of Forests-1 will oversee the Porbandar Range, Porbandar Social Forestry Range and Ranavav Social Forestry Range, while Assistant Conservator of Forests-2 will be responsible for the Ranavav Range, Bhanvad Range, Kutiyana Range and the Mobile Squad (T.A.) Range. With the addition of the Kutiyana, Porbandar Social Forestry and Ranavav Social Forestry Ranges, the Porbandar Forest Division will now have seven ranges in total. To support this expanded structure, one vacant Assistant Conservator of Forests post from Kevadia's two sanctioned posts has been transferred to the Porbandar Forest Division. The Porbandar Forest Division will continue functioning under the Junagadh Wildlife Circle, with the Deputy Conservator of Forests overseeing the two Assistant Conservators of Forests across the reorganised ranges. The Range Forest Officer under the division will also be responsible for the operations of the Mobile Squad. Officials said the reorganisation, by bringing Porbandar, Ranavav, Bhanvad and Kutiyana under an integrated administrative structure, is aimed at strengthening forest conservation, wildlife management and field administration in view of lion rehabilitation in Barda. (ANI)
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