Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology Choudhary Lal Singh today said that with the active support of people the institutions of governance at ground level are being strengthened in the State.Speaking at a function organized by Duggar Manch at Bharti Vidya Mandir School Basholi today, the Minister said every individual has a key role in highlighting the concerns of the society at the appropriate forums. The event was organized to highlight the distinct Dogra culture of the region.The Minister exhorted upon the youth to avail benefits of various schemes initiated by central and state governments to establish income and employment generating units.Earlier, to develop green corridor along National Highway by plantation Lal Singh launched plantation drive under the Greening of National Highway phase -1 project extending from Lakhanpur Kathua to Udhampur.The Minister said that the motive of this endeavor is to develop a policy framework for the plantation of trees along highways to reduce the impact of pollution, to provide shade on glaring hot roads during summer and to risk of soil erosion.
The Minister directed the concerned that details of all the development works of the area should be brought into the notice of the concerned people’s representatives. He asked the officers to have proactive approach towards the redress of public grievance. Lal Singh added that opinion of all the stakeholders before formulating any development plan is important and communal harmony besides mutual cooperation is vital for development. He further said that connectivity to far flung areas of Basholi town will be improved in the coming days.On the occasion, Shiv Dobalia, Chandu Ram, Seemu Thakur, Khajur and various other prominent Dogri poets participated in the event. Dogri Singer Lekh Raj also presented Dogri songs to take the stage and leave the spellbound audience craving for more.The Minister was accompanied by PCCF A K Singh, Chairman PCB Ravi Kesar , Chief wildlife warden Suresh Chug , Director Social Forestry Arun Tickoo, MD SFC Suresh Gupta , Director SFRI B M Sharma , Director Ecology , Environment and Remote Sensing O P Sharma, Director Soil and Water Conservation Javed Ahmad along with DFOs.