Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh today said that people must plant trees and contribute back to the environment for the benevolence of the State’s ecological affairs, adding that mega environmental and plantation drives have been launched to achieve better results in shaping up the degraded environment.The Minister was speaking after launching massive plantation drive at Dachigam National Wildlife Park in Srinagar.On the occasion, the Minister also released Hangul Census Report-2017, saying that there has been positive trend in the overall number of the State animal.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Department of Wildlife, Manoj Panth, Director, Social Forestry, Chief Conservator Forests, Managing Directors, SFC Director FPF, Director SFRI B, Director Soil Conservation, Regional Director PCB, Regional Director Wildlife besides, Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) also attended the function.
Lal Singh directed the officers to develop nurseries of the coldest areas of the region with ornamental fruit like Amla, Pear, Guava, Bar, Grapes and Tropical apple saplings.He asked the senior functionaries of the Forest Department to pay frequent visits to the nurseries and personally monitor the irrigation and health condition of plants in Dachigam and across the state.Choudhary Lal Singh said that the Government is aiming to provide green cover to the schools, colleges and other educational institutes and in this regard the department would be assessing educational institutes.Government is also aiming to popularize plantation with sustained drives in Ladakh and Kashmir regions of the State, the Minister said adding that winter season is suitable time for plantation of seasoned plants in both the regions and the Forest Department has taken it in a mission mode to cover maximum area under plantation.While seeking cooperation of the people, the Minister urged 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.