SRINAGAR: Director General, J&K Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Developement (J&K IMPARD), Saurabh Bhagat, today presided over the valedictory function of two training courses titled “Disaster Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation” for government functionaries working in agriculture sector and “Refresher Training for Ministerial Staff of Skill Development Department”.
The first course was coordinated by Associate Professor, Dr. G M Dar, while Assistant Professor, Dr. M. Ashraf Dar coordinated the second course.
In his valedictory address, DG IMPARD emphasized the role and significance of training in capacity building of functionaries of the government. He informed the participants that training enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of members of an organization.
Dwelling upon the effects of climate change on the environment, DG said that training helps in orientation of members of concerned organizations which are directly affected by climate change to the concepts of Disaster Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation. This helps them to workout Disaster Mitigation strategies in an effective manner.
He informed the participants that IMPARD has prioritized the subject of Disaster Management because of its importance in the present day world. In this regard, IMPARD has included the component of disaster management in every training course, be it the Training of JKAS Probationary Officers or Secretariat Assistants Training Course for Senior and Junior Assistants.
Saurabh Bhagat said that there was a need to pursue realistic policies in every field. For example, if the people who dwell near forests are not allowed to avail the benefits of firewood, timber and other forest products within allowable limits they will fell down trees to fulfill their genuine needs. This will undo all the effects of forest conservation measures taken by the functionaries of the Forest Department, he added.
Likewise, DG also elaborated that if the Horticulture Department functionaries will encourage only imported variety of apples, as for example the Bulgarian variety, at the cost of indigenous varieties, it may not be a good policy because high yielding hybrid varieties happen to be more vulnerable to pestilence. So, a realistic strategy would be to go for mixed horticulture of indigenous and hybrid varieties.
