Details

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 13 December 2017

• Reviews functioning of Forests, Wildlife Wings

 

JAMMU: Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh today called for collective approach towards conservation and promotion of State’s green wealth. The Minister was speaking at a meeting of officers of Forests and Wildlife wings while reviewing the progress on various ongoing development works, here at Manda Amphalla today. “Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with abundant natural affluence and resources and it becomes our moral responsibility to contribute collectively towards its preservation”, the Minister maintained while emphasizing the need of raising awareness about the need and importance of saving forests for the posterity.

 

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Ravi Kesar, Chief Wildlife Warden Manoj Panth, Chief Conservator of Forests Farooq Geelani, Director Environment and Remote Sensing O P Sharma, Director SFRI B M Sharma, Regional Director Wildlife Dr. V S Sinthil Kumar besides other senior officers were present on the occasion. The Minister asked the officers to gear up their men and machinery for timely completion of the ongoing development works being executed by the Forests and Wildlife Wings. He said that Government has earmarked Rs. 62 lakh for construction of two reservoirs at Jambu Zoo with a storage capacity of 3 lakh gallon water.

 

Choudhary Lal Singh asked the Wildlife department to float the tenders for construction of water storage reservoirs, Bore well, two leopard enclosures, two tiger enclosures, two peasantry, blacktopping of 4 kilometer approach road, artificial water fall, nature interpretation centre, development of parking area, Cafetaria, view points, internal road links to Jambu Zoo etc at the earliest. He also directed them to call tenders for purchase of 6 battery cars for Jambu Zoo and 50 cycles besides 4 battery cars for Jastrota Fort.

Calling for need based development and quality works, the Minister stressed on judicious utilization of allocated funds for various developmental works. He said the officers will be made accountable for implementation of all the programs and schemes in their respective jurisdictions. Meanwhile, Lal Singh directed the officers to put in sincere efforts in developing all the established nurseries across the Jammu region by planting two crore different saplings under the plantation drive to be held in rainy season next year. Choudhary Lal Singh directed the officers to immediately start the fencing work on the forest land around the Jambu Zoo. He directed to plant saplings of fruit plants, mulberry, Sisso, Tun, Amla, Guava, Jamun and ornamental etc in and around the Zoo.