She (Women) is the head of about 24 percent of the forest area in Telangana. She is the protector of the green trees. The safety of wildlife is her duty. All these are the responsibilities she carries on her shoulders. With the aim of building a green Telangana, women officers and employees in the forest department are serving with commitment.
In India, women have been selected in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) since the 1980s. Women officers selected through examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as well as the State Public Service Commission are showing their talent in forest conservation and wildlife conservation. Today, women have risen from the field level to the highest positions and are leading the forest department and are key partners in nature conservation.
The role of women employees in the Telangana forest department is very crucial. Especially in this department, except for one or two, it is special that most of the key positions are held by women. The Forest Department is taking the lead in all fields under their leadership.
Along with Konda Surekha as the Telangana Environment and Forest Minister, women IFS officers Dr. C. Suvarna as PCCF (HoFF), Mrs. Sunitha M. Bhagwat as the VC & Managing Director of Telangana Forest Development Corporation, Mrs. S.J. Asha as the Administrative Officer of the Forest Department Headquarters, Mrs. Kshitija as the CEO of Telangana CAMPA, Mrs. Priyanka Varghese as the Director of Telangana Forest Academy, one of the renowned training institutions in the country, Mrs. Praveena as the Dean of Forest College and Research Institute, Mrs. Vasantha as the Curator of Hyderabad Nehru Zoo Park, which is one of the largest zoo parks in India, along with these women as forest officers of various districts are effectively leading the Forest Department by showing their talent.
Women officers & staff are working as frontline warriors in forest conservation. Beat officers, section officers and range officers play a key role at the field level. A total of 1,115 women officers across the state are working tirelessly at the field level to conserve forests. Despite the problem of encroachment of uncultivated lands in dense forests on one hand and the threat of wild animal attacks on the other, they are bravely discharging their responsibilities and protecting the forests without even considering their lives. There are instances where some men who have joined as beat officers at the lower level leave their jobs for various reasons. However, this is very rare in the case of women. They work with commitment in the same department from the time they join the job till they retire and provide their services.
Vanamahotsavam is an ambitious program undertaken with the aim of filling 33 percent of the land area in the state of Telangana with green trees. This is a top priority program for the Telangana Forest Department. The Forest Department is moving forward with a target of planting about 20 crore saplings every year. Forest officials are working hard to make the state greener by coordinating with various government departments.
Working in forests is not easy. Despite the dangers, challenges, and loneliness—women are working as hard as men, sometimes more than men, taking responsibility.
Women are not just confined to the home, but are also the leaders who protect nature and save the future as women’s power. They consider the forest not just a job, but a responsibility, a way of life. They work with dedication to protect nature, treating trees as their children and wildlife as their family members. That is why the role of women in forest conservation stands as a strong hope for Telangana.
