Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh Friday said the department will undertake massive plantation drive in and alongside famed Zabarwan hills and focus on tree lining for improving the green cover.Chairing a meeting at Civil Secretariat, here, the Minister directed the Forest Department officers of Kashmir division to start massive plantation drive and work on target basis. He asked the officials to put in concerted efforts and mobilize the available resources for taking up plantation drive in and alongside Zabarwan hills.
Mr Singh also asked them to immediately start plantation drive in degraded forest areas of their respective jurisdictions.“Zabarwan hills need to breathe more with the fresh green cover. We will have to work for making it a successful exercise,” he said. “I will personally monitor the plantation drive on this patch,” he said.The meeting was attended by Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, Nissar Ahmed Darzi, DFO Urban Circle, Hakim Mukhtar Ahmad with other senior officials of the Forest and its allied wings.The Minister also urged officials to liaise with the public for launching massive plantation drive across the region. He said that public participation is vital for preservation of environment.