Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today directed the Forest Department to expedite plantation drive to achieve set directs before the rainy season was over.The Minister was addressing a gathering after launching plantation drive at Ghagwal in Samba district. He said that a massive aforestation drive has been launched this monsoon to restore and replenish degraded forest cover in the state.“Thousands of trees are being planted in every nook and corner of the State which has witnessed large scale deforestation” he added.Divisional Forest Officers of Territorial, Wild Life and Social Forestry accompanied the Minister.The Minister said that Forest Department has chalked out a comprehensive plan to rejuvenate the degraded forests across the state. He said that the department is also all set to launch a massive plantation drive in under Public Private Partnership mode in Kashmir Valley.
Choudhary Lal Singh said department has also taken up plantation of ornamental and fruit saplings alongside the roads during the current monsoon season. Choudhary Lal Singh stressed on achieving cent percent targets while emphasizing that the work should be visible on ground. He informed that third party monitoring and inspection mechanism has been put in place to ascertain the progress under the drive. Maintaining that public participation is vital for preservation of environment, the Minister urged upon people to come forward and voluntarily participate in the plantation drive. He asked people to plant trees in their surroundings, schools, colleges and Government offices, adding that the department will provide saplings free of cost.The Minister asked the officers to install sprinkle irrigation system and construct ponds in the nurseries and forest closures for better output.