VP Dhankhar Urges Environmental Care, Technological Adaptation in Defence Estates

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar stressed the importance of environmental care and technological adaptation in defence estate management during his interaction with Indian Defence Estates Service officer trainees. He highlighted the need for ethical conduct and the strategic significance of defence lands, calling for structured development and long-term planning.

In a significant address on Monday, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar underscored the imperative of environmental stewardship and the cultivation of vegetation within cantonment areas. He proposed achieving this through the promotion of herbal plantations and horticulture on defence estate lands, aimed at benefiting society at large. The Vice-President shared these insights during his interaction with the 2023 batch officer trainees of the Indian Defence Estates Service at the Vice-President's Enclave.

"Cantonment areas must be an example for other bodies (such as municipalities) in cleanliness, greenery, and civic amenities," Dhankhar asserted. Addressing the rapidly changing technological and geopolitical landscapes, he urged the young officers to adapt continuously.

He reminded the officers of the need to place national interests first, highlighting that, "The best way of defence is to be ever prepared for war." Emphasizing the crucial role of defence lands in national security, Dhankhar pointed out the challenges such as encroachments and legal disputes in land management.

The Vice-President advised the officer trainees to leverage technology for efficient land management. "This would enable you to monitor any incursion and take swift remedial action resolutely," he remarked. Dhankhar, also a noted lawyer, stressed the importance of structured litigation handling in such matters.

He exhorted the probationers to avoid shortcuts, urging them to exemplify ethical conduct and serve as role models. "Be firm even when you face pulls and pressures," he encouraged the officers, advocating for a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Recognizing the immense historical and heritage value of defence estates, Dhankhar called for long-term strategic planning and development.

In attendance with the Vice-President were his wife, Sudesh Dhankhar, Ministry of Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, Director General of Defence Estates G. S. Rajeswaran, Director of the National Institute of Defence Estates Management Rajendra Pawar, as well as officer trainees and senior officers from the Indian Defence Estates Service and the Vice President's Secretariat.

(With inputs from agencies.)