Sericulture Development Department today kick-started Urban Mulberry Plantation drive here at Super Specialty Hospital (SSH).Urban Mulberry plantation is a novel move launched by the SDD to cover available state land within Municipal areas envisaging multiple objectives of arresting pollution, conserving environment, beautifying the areas and ensuring availability of green reservoirs.The drive was launched with the planting of a Mulberry plant by Director Sericulture Gulzar Ahmad in the premises of the Hospital. Principal, Government Medical College, Dr. Sunanda Raina, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Pankaj Magotra, Administrator Associated Hospitals Jammu SmitiSethi, and Medical Superintendant SSH Dr. Anu Sharma also planted Mulberry sapling.Senior Officers of Sericulture and Medical Education Departments and a good number of Silkworm rearers were also present on the occasion.Addressing the gathering, the Director Sericulture said that silkworm rearing, involving meagre resources and manpower, is directly related to socio-economic upliftment of cross sections of people especially the weaker and downtrodden. He said concerted efforts are being made to give impetus to the sericulture activities with the aim to enhance the livelihood opportunities and guarantee high returns to the people associated with it. The Director said Sericulture Department is associating itself with other Departments to promote Sericulture and allied activities for doubling the income of the farmers in coming years.
He said that the Sericulture Department is laying more focus on Mulberry plantation, anticipating the increased demand of green foliage for silkworm rearing in the State. Urban plantation shall prove instrumental in promoting sericulture activities in the cities and towns in coming years with the availability of required mulberry leaves, he hoped.He said that Department has made arrangements at all district headquarters for free distribution of Mulberry plants at the doorsteps of urban populace. Helpline Desks have been established at Directorate as well as Additional Directorate level both at Jammu and Srinagar, which can be contacted for any sort of assistance on the telephone numbers: 0191-2542408, 546318 (J), 0194-2311171 (K) and Mob:9419518139.Principal Medical College Jammu, Commissioner JMC, Administrator GMC, Jammu and Associated Hospitals and Medical Superintendent, SSH, Jammu also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the advantages of Urban Mulberry plantation initiated by Sericulture Department.Later, the guests flagged off a vehicle loaded with Mulberry plants for free distribution at the door steps of households in Jammu City. The initiative of the Sericulture Department has been widely appreciated by the citizens and they hope that the Department will come up with similar initiatives from environmental and economic point of view.