Minister for Forests, Environment & Ecology Choudhary Lal Singh today asked the Social Forestry Department to organize massive awareness camps to spread awareness on the need and importance of plantation.The Minister issued the instructions to Divisional Forest Officers of Social Forestry Department after inspecting Marheen, Mathura Chak, Pathal Chak, Haria Chak nurseries in Vijaypur tehsil, here today. Choudhary Lal Singh asked the officers to grow seasonal plants in all the nurseries so that plantation was carried out to cover all the open spaces during rainy season. He said Government is making all out efforts to beautify all the road side strips with plantation and chain link fencing. He said the steps taken will also help to prevent encroachment on available road side forest department land.
The Minister warned the functionaries against any laxity in protection of forests and forest land. “ Strict action under the Forest Protection Act will be taken if any officer of the Forest and its allied department is found involved in encouraging encroachment on Forest land”, he asserted. The Minister lauded the role of Social Forestry Department in taking up plantations which is of utmost importance at present in view of increasing population and rapid urbanization. He said that in view of the growing requirements of people especially in rural areas in respect of fodder, fuel, wood and timber, the department has a very significant role to play.He asked the officers of different wings of the department to work in coordination so that benefits of different schemes of the Government reach the targeted populace. He exhorted upon the department to further intensify their efforts of increasing green cover and meeting the requirements of the people especially in rural areas.Choudhary Lal Singh directed the officers of Jammu Division to start a massive plantation drive and set a target of planting about one lakh ornamental and fruit saplings in the forest areas in each division during current monsoon. He asked them to immediately start plantation drive in degraded forest areas of their respective jurisdictions.