Pre-partition legacy: J&K Govt to ascertain date of inception of Kashmir Forest Training Institute
Sets up 4-member committee, directed to consult all sources of information
Srinagar, October 19, 2021: The administration of Jammu & Kashmir has constituted a committee to ascertain the date of inception of Kashmir Forest Training School, Chitternar, Bandipora, which was set-up before 1947.
A four-member committee comprising officials of the Forest department has been set-up to ascertain the date of inception of KFT School, considered the oldest such institution in India to impart training to frontline staff of the Forest department.
The committee, comprises of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Central) Kashmir, Conservator of Forests, Central Circle, J&K, Conservator of Forests Working Plan Circle, J&K and DFO Jhelum Valley division, Baramulla.
“The committee shall consult all the likely sources of such information and submit its finding by 25th October, 2021,” reads the order.
As per the order, the efforts to ascertain the date of inception of the prestigious institution did not yield any result.
“The inception date of the prestigious institution is however not known. Efforts have been made to get credible information in this regard from archives, gazetters and relevant forest records, however the inception date couldn’t be ascertained,” the order states.
The only clue about the inception date, according to the order, has been found by officers of the department in the form of diamond jubilee message of then Chief Minister G.M. Sadiq.
Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq served as CM of J&K from March 30, 1965 to December 12, 1971.
He was also the last Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (Feb 29, 1964 to March 3O, 1965)—(KNO)