Continuing with the endeavor of encouraging the people to plant trees during the rainy season, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Rajiv Jasrotia today reviewed the arrangements for 70th Van Mahotsav celebrations slated to be observed next month.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Manoj Pant and other senior officers of Forests and its allied wings of Jammu province attended the meeting.During the meeting, the Minister directed State Forest Corporation, State Pollution Control Board and Wildlife Department to pool in resources and manpower to make Van Mahotsav - a grand success. He directed SPCB to launch a plantation drive in industrial estates in collaboration with industrial associations.He also directed for including grassroots democratic institutions for greater participation, besides pasing instructions for formulation of transport and communication plan for effective implementation of plantation drive.The Minister exhorted the Forest Department to launch Van Mahotsav as a brand so that common people identify themselves with the yearly event and stressed for GPS bearing of the plantation sites for better monitoring and inspection.
He directed for involving media, both print and electronic, in spreading awareness on Van Mahotsav and the monsoon plantation drive. He stressed on the need for content creation, advertisements, documentaries and messages for social media. “We need to change our mindset and go for collective action for planting more trees,” he added.Earlier, the Minister was informed that all Divisional Forest Officers shall collect saplings from State Forest Research Institute after sending their requisitions through Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.While addressing the meeting, the Minister further said that forests are important not only for sustaining life on this planet but they also play an important role in increasing agricultural production. He also said that it is our collective responsibility to plant trees during monsoon and the Forest Department will facilitate this cause by providing saplings to the people.He informed that the slogan of this year’s Van Mahotsav is ‘Greening of Shivaliks, Sunrise to Sunset’. It was decided in the meeting that around 12 lakh saplings would be planted during the Van Mahotsav.The Minister directed the concerned officers to plant trees in and around the government institutions, streets and towns to negate the effect of carbon emission and further the purpose of greenery.