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School of Forestry between 1916- 1919, he
joined Government service. In 1925, after six years of hard work, he
was promoted as the head of the Department of Forests, a position he
occupied for 31 years, till his retirement in November 1956. He
continued as Honorary Advisor on Floriculture to Government of
Sikkim for several more years. His services were recognised both by
the Government of India and the Government of Sikkim and he was
honoured by the title of "Rai Saheb" in 1943 and "Pema Porjee" in
1965.
His dedication and concern for the welfare of the
state was uppermost in h is thoughts and actions throughout his long
career. He pursued it with utmost zeal and enthusiasm, ably
supported by a fine band of Forest officers and staff like Atal
Singh Dewan, Dakman Lama, Dhopbin Dewan, Kulbir Pradhan, Ganga
Prasad Pradhan, Bhuwan Prasad Sharma and other officers.
He was a great advocate of Road Reserves, Medical
Herbs Cultivation, River Transportations of timber, leasing
out of forest for cardamom both from the Point of view of
revenue augmentation and preservation of forest in fragile
watersheds, soil conservation with " Amliso" and
"Kikiyu" grass as soil binders, "Utis" and bamboo plantation
in individual holdings to meet the basis household needs and of
establishment of plantation through Taungya system. The Walnut
plantation at Sadam and Teak of Melli stand as some of the monuments
of his success in develop ing forests. Introduction of Trout fish,
development of Ipecac and other medical plants in Sikkim were also a
result of his foresight and planning.
He was the first to highlight the importance of
floriculture in Sikkim and gave Sikkim the privileged place as
producer and exporter of orchids. The flower nurseries in and
around Kalimpong
and Rhenock owe their existence to his guidance and patronage. His
exposition of riches of Sikkim in its flora and g fauna
attracted a number of expeditions to this part of the world,
the most important among these being Schaefer Expedition led
by leading German scientists in 1930.
He was a man with a mission to develop Sikkim
through Agriculture Floriculture, Horticulture and the forests of
Sikkim to which he devoted his entire career are the living
monuments to his long and dedicated work He pursued it with a great
measure of success inspite of meager resources. Sikkim Forest
Department owes a great deal to this great Forester for almost four
decades and put Forestry on the rail. The multifarious forestry
notifications which are relevant even today speak volumes of his
foresightedness.
The Department through this newsletter wishes to
pay deepest homage to this great soul who laid the foundation of a
stable forestry base in Sikkim. |
