Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today visited Clonal Research-Cum-Production Centre at Hoshiarpur in Punjab to have firsthand experience of the modern forest and nursery development techniques developed by the research centre.Director Forest Protection Force Suresh Gupta, Chief Conservator of Forests Roshan Jaggi besides Divisional Forest Officer Kathua accompanied the Minister.During the visit, the Minister went around the research centre and received brief on the research work and techniques developed by the centre for growing varied plant species for faster aforestation of degraded areas.
Interacting with the scientists and experts at the centre, the Minister sought their cooperation in replicating the research done by them in Jammu and Kashmir State.The Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir has huge potential to increase its forest area and the state can easily achieve the set targets by adopting research based techniques in the forest development. Highlighting the measures taken by the J&K Forest Department for development of degraded forests, he said a massive plantation drive has been launched across the state to cover all open spaces in the state.He said Government is committed to develop all the nurseries in the State with modern techniques by making provision for sustainable irrigation facilities.