A group of 79 probationers of Indian Forest Service of the 2012 batch called on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, President Mukherjee congratulated the probationers on their success in a very difficult examination.
He emphasized that urgent attention needs to be paid to problems such as environmental degradation, global warming, ecological imbalances etc. He stated that while India will have to place its view point in international discussions, but cannot ignore the need to put in its own efforts to save the environment.
He stated that this is a lesson which we can draw from the Uttarakhand tragedy.
President Mukherjee reminded the probationers of the words of Mahatma Gandhi,Father of the Nation, who said that Mother Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
He said that the scientific temperament, knowledge and expertise which the probationers would gain during their years of service would enrich the nation as a whole and "we shall be able to build up the desired world we would like to see."
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The probationers are presently undergoing their training in various aspects of sustainable management and administration of forest, wildlife and environment at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun.
They are in Delhi from August 5 to 7, 2013 for a course in 'Parliamentary Processes and Procedures' organized by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training at the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training, Parliament House Complex.
Out of 79 probationers, two are foreign trainees from Bhutan and 22 are lady officers. These probationers come from diverse educational backgrounds, including forestry, engineering, agriculture, life Sciences. Four of them have doctoral degrees.
Dr. V. Rajagopalan, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, K. Jude Sekar, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests and R.K. Goel, Director, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, were also present on the occasion.