A forest guard working in the various offices of HP Forest Department has been selected for the State Level Forest Award for the year 2019-20.
Santosh Thakur (Forest Guard, Shimla Publicity), Ganpat Ram(Deputy Ranger Shimla Wildlife ), Toyad Kant (Forest Guard, Nachan ) along with twenty fellow foresters and three organizations, for there commendable services in protecting and guarding the forest wealth of the state. This award is given every year to forest staff working diligently in raising and saving forests.
This award would be given to the recipients by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in a function to celebrate the 72nd State Level Van Mahotsav being organized on July 20 at Nirmand in Kullu District.
Toyad Kant has been selected for the award for his daring acts of catching timber smugglers on several occasions and raising and protecting plants in Nachan Forest Division. Hailing from Khandla Village of Balh, Toyad Kant is son of Late Nanak Chand Saini, a devoted teacher and a social worker. The villagers of Khandla, Kummi, his friends and relatives have congratulated him for this achievement.
However, Santosh Thakur hailing from Mandi District has also been selected for the award. Whereas Ganpat Ram(Deputy Ranger Shimla Wildlife ) is also hail from Mandi District and has been awarded for catching timber smugglers in Shimla district on several occasions.