Minister for Public Enterprises, Floriculture, Haj and Auqaf Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Mr. Raman Bhalla today conducted an extensive tour to Digiana Ashram, Akali Kour Singh Nagar, Jawahar Nagar, Green Belt Park compartments 5, 6 and 7 in Gandhi Nagar and inspected the pace of progress of development of recreational parks in these areas.
Member Legislative Council Mr. Jehangir Hussain Mir, Secretary Floriculture Mr. Sanjeev Verma, Director Floriculture Mr. K K Sharma besides other senior officers of PHE, PDD and Floriculture departments accompanied the Ministers.Interacting with the officers, the Floriculture Minister directed the concerned officers to ensure time bound development of these recreational parks with all modern facilities. He underscored the need for developing greener patches on the open spaces including walkways in these parks.Expressing displeasure over poor maintenance of recreational park at Digiana Ashram, the Minister instructed for proper development of the park. He directed for removal of bushes in the said park for convenience of morning and evening walkers. He also stressed for proper maintenance of public parks in the city area.Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Mr. Raman Bhalla said that focussed attention is been given to beautify the city area by developing a series of parks.
The Minister asked the JMC and Floriculture Department to work in coordination to remove bushes besides renovation of damaged walkways in the parks. He called upon the people not to dump building and other waste material in the parks, adding that such practices create hindrances in execution of parks works and also gives shabby look to them.Earlier, in connection with 252 Anniversary Session of Environmental Sciences Department of Jammu University, a function held to bless the Green Walk Tree Talk followed by 252 Tree Talk Milestone unveiled by Minister for Floriculture Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Mr. Raman Bhalla at Gandhi Nagar. On the occasion, galaxy of officers including Secretary Floriculture Mr. Sanjeev Verma, Inspector General of Police Mr. Yoginder Kaul, HoD Environment Science Prof Raj Kumar Rampal, Dean Prof Pankaj Srivastava besides members of civil society were present on the occasion. .
On the occasion Mr. Sayeed emphasized the need of raising medicinal cum decorative plants like Sita Ashok, Scholar Tree, Jiyopta, Chinar , Amaltas, Plash, Semal in the parks and gardens so that visitors get nature education in our city centres. Rich culture of natural and bulit heritage need to be showcased for future generations.Mr. Raman Bhalla appreciated the concept and motive of Tree Talk campaign where experts, nature lovers, folk healers and officers come together to foster tree consciousness and carry forward the message of environmental conservation.He applauded the role of civil society and emphasized that young scientists need to learn from traditional inputs and further innovate to explore healing qualities of medicinal plants like Arlu, Neem, Saptparna , Tinbru, Arjuna, Amla, Harad, Baheda etc.On the occasion green achievers were felicitated by the Ministers included Dr Lalit Gupta Art Historian, Dr Kiran Sharma social activist and voluntary blood donor who has donated blood 46 times to needy patients and made a record in JK.