NOWSHERA, FEBRUARY 25: The three-day Van Prahari Exercise – 2026 was inaugurated in the Nowshera Forest Division under the direction of Pr. CCF J&K Sarvesh Rai and CCF Jammu Dr. V.S. Senthil Kumar.
The program saw the participation of Divisional Forest Officers and field staff from Reasi, Mahore, Rajouri, and Poonch Forest Divisions under the West Circle, along with officers from the Wildlife Division Rajouri and Forest Protection Force. Conservator of Forests, West Circle, Sat Paul and ADC Nowshera Pritam Lal Thappa were also present.
Expert resource persons from Dehradun, including retired DFO Bharat Singh and former FRI scientist V.K. Dhawan, conducted theoretical and practical sessions on forest fire behavior, prevention, safety protocols, and modern firefighting techniques.
Live mock drills by SDRF and Fire & Emergency Services teams demonstrated firefighting and rescue operations, highlighting inter-departmental coordination and emergency preparedness in anticipation of the fire season.
The exercise aims to strengthen forest fire management systems and enhance preparedness to protect forest resources and biodiversity.