Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today inspected the plantation drive launched on Jammu -Kathua National Highway and peripheral areas.He asked the forest functionaries of Kathua, Samba and Jammu to personally monitor the ongoing plantation drive in their respective jurisdictions and stressed on covering all the road side strips, forest compartments and open spaces.The Minister asked the Social Forestry Department to launch massive campaign to spread awareness on the need and importance of plantation. He asked the officers to grow seasonal and fruit plants in all the nurseries to meet the demand of trees during the current rainy season. He said Government is making all out efforts to beautify all the road side strips with plantation and chain link fencing. He said the steps taken will also help to prevent encroachment on available roadside forest department land.
Meanwhile Choudhary Lal Singh warned the functionaries against any laxity in protection of forests and forest land. “ Strict action under the Forest Protection Act will be taken if any officer of the Forest and its allied department is found involved in encouraging encroachment on Forest land”, he asserted.The Minister asked the officers of different wings of the department to work in coordination to facilitate effective implementation of schemes so that benefits reach the targeted populace. He exhorted upon the department to further intensify their efforts of increasing green cover and meeting the requirements of the people especially in rural areas.Choudhary Lal Singh directed the officers of Jammu Division to start a massive plantation drive and set a target of planting about one lakh ornamental and fruit saplings in the forest areas in each division during current monsoon.
He asked them to immediately start plantation drive in degraded forest areas of their respective jurisdictions.Interacting with the locals, Choudhary Lal Singh said that the forest department has initiated massive plantation drive across the state. He said that the prevailing rainy season is best time for plantation and forest department has taken it on mission mode to cover maximum suitable areas under plantation. He said thousands of plant of fruit and ornamental and other species are being planted in identified forest locations keeping in mind local weather conditions. He directed the forest officers to ensure plantation of ornamental plants along the roads of villages.Seeking the cooperation of the people, Choudhary Lal Singh asked all stakeholders to be part of plantation drive so that ecology can be maintained properly. He said that Government is contemplating to update the forest policy with the aim to increase the forest wealth of the state.