Agartala, October 7: Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Wednesday inaugurated the official website of the World Bank-supported ELEMENT (Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management) project at Prakriti Bhavan in Gandhigram here, officials said.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) R K Shyamol and senior officials of the Forest Department were present at the programme.
The newly launched website will provide information on the project's activities, progress and initiatives related to landscape and ecosystem management, besides highlighting measures being undertaken for forest and biodiversity conservation, officials said.
Speaking to reporters after the inauguration, Debbarma said the ELEMENT project was aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among communities dependent on forest resources and helping them use such resources sustainably.
He said the initiative also seeks to connect forest-dependent communities and their enterprises with wider markets, thereby creating opportunities for livelihood development.
"The Tripura Forest Department and the World Bank are working together on various aspects of the project, including livelihood development and sustainable forest management," the minister said.
Representatives of the World Bank also participated in discussions with officials of the Forest Department during the programme.
Debbarma said the website would provide greater public access to information about the work being undertaken under the project.
"Through this website, people across the world will be able to see what we are doing for forest conservation, biodiversity protection and the livelihoods of people living in forest areas," he said.
The minister said the initiative seeks to bring together environmental conservation and livelihood development by encouraging sustainable use of forest resources.
The project focuses on landscape and ecosystem management while supporting communities whose livelihoods are linked to forests, officials said.
The website is expected to serve as a platform for sharing information on project activities, implementation progress and initiatives undertaken in different areas of the state.
The Forest Department and the World Bank are collaborating on measures aimed at strengthening sustainable forest management and improving livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
Debbarma said the World Bank-supported initiative was expected to open new avenues for sustainable forest management and livelihood development in Tripura.
The launch of the website marks an effort to improve transparency and public access to information related to the implementation of the ELEMENT project, officials said.
The Forest Department will continue to undertake activities under the project with a focus on conservation, biodiversity protection, sustainable resource use and community livelihoods.
