Warning the forest land encroachers of strict action, Minister for Forests and Environment Lal Singh Tuesday said protection of environment and forests is the most important issue in the world at the moment.“We will not allow any encroachments on forest land at any cost. I have devised a plan to make the fencing around the forest areas but we need estimated Rs 8000 crore for that which is a huge sum. But with the present resources we will start fencing around the areas which are vulnerable for encroachments,” he told KNS.Singh claimed that successive governments have ignored this vital department. “I won’t allow any encroachments but there have been a lot of encroachments over the years. We have told to people living near forests that they can take their cattle for grazing in 50 percent areas and leave rest 50 percent for the growth of trees. Similarly, when trees will grow in the 50 percent area, rest 50 percent will be left for grazing.”
He claimed that after he took over as Forest minister on April 5, there have been no timber smuggling. “May be trees may have been cut in the previous years, but since I took over not even a single tree has been cut.”“I have ensured that all the wings of the Forest are made functional. In the first step we ordered that timber distribution will be done by the Forest Corporation which had almost become defunct. There are 1700 employees in the Corporation who were doing nothing. The Forest department officials have been asked to work overtime to protect the forests and make new plantation as now they don’t have to take care of timber distribution,” the Minister added.On timber distribution, he said, “We have ordered all the depots that people should be provided timber hassle free. People should contact their nearest depots with an application and ration card and he will be provided the timber provided he hasn’t acquired the same last year. The timber will be dumped in all the depots by the end of this month.”
The Minister expressed serious concern over the lax approach of Wullar Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) officials saying the progress of the project has been zero. “I have taken one review meeting of WUCMA and the progress is zero. Nothing has been done on ground by the officers over the years as they have only done cheating,” he said.On the issue of man-animal conflict Lal Singh said, “People have encroached forest land which is one of the main reasons for the man-animal conflict. People shouldn’t further encroach the forests as it is dangerous.”“Forest is life for all. When we will finish forests where will we go? We have to maintain the ecological balance,” he added. (KNS)