In a significant move, Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Anupam Sharma has been appointed as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) for South Panna. Known for his commitment to sustainable forest management, wildlife conservation, and community engagement, Mr. Sharma is now entrusted with the protection and development of Panna’s rich biodiversity and the well-being of its local communities.
Mr. Sharma’s career spans a series of impactful initiatives across the state, including his earlier postings in Rewa, Burhanpur and Sendhwa.
Among his most notable achievements is the large-scale operation in Burhanpur, where he led efforts to reclaim thousands of hectares of encroached forest land. “The magnitude of that victory can’t be measured. It was a team effort, from villagers to local forest committees,” Mr. Sharma shared during our conversation.
Mr. Sharma’s deployment of drones for surveillance marked another innovative step. The technology helped gather crucial intelligence on encroachers in areas too dangerous for manual patrols. Drones provided real-time data, allowing forest teams to act swiftly and efficiently, curbing illegal logging and preventing further land encroachment. He also experimented with drones for seed dispersal in remote, difficult terrains, testing their effectiveness against traditional methods.
