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Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 21 March 2016

• World Arbor Day: Khursheed Ganai calls for protection and increase in forest cover

SRINAGAR:  Advisor to the Governor, Khursheed A Ganai on Monday called for creation of a separate Chinar section in the Forest Department for its wide plantation and preservation. Ganai directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to create a Chinar section in the Forest department which would ensure plantation of Chinar saplings in the forest as well as forest degraded areas of Kashmir valley. He said it will ensure that Chinar tree is planted on a large scale thereby ensuring its preservation.

 

He also asked for creating nurseries across the valley wherein saplings of Chinar tree would be grown and afterwards sent to different areas of the state for plantation. Advisor said this during a function organized by Department of Social Forestry Kashmir at CRPF campus Humhama.  He called for protection of forests and said that government is keen to recover the forest cover by planting more and more trees this season.

 

Ganai said the Department of Social Forestry is planting one lac plants on the eve of World Arbor day. He said government is taking issue of deforestation seriously and will increase the forest cover in the state. He stressed on the need to create awareness among the younger generation about the importance of forests in our lives. He said students should be made aware about climate change and the role of plants in dealing with such negative changes.

 

He said government will also launch plantation on large scale in Jammu division in the coming season of plantation in June-July. Ganai while addressing the gathering also stressed on the people to keep their surroundings clean and green as it will add to the beauty of Kashmir. He said the department accomplished the plantation target of 8 lac plants during previous year over the area of 588 hectares under various schemes. He said about 80 lac trees are being planted by various departments including Social Forestry this year.

 

On the occasion the Advisor was informed that about 16 lac plants have been raised including conifers and broad leaved trees in nurseries of Social Forestry Department in Kashmir region which include five lac plants of male poplars. Officials further said 3.50 lac plants of male cotton free poplars are being distributed to farmers in the valley.

 

The function was also attended by Principal Secretary Forests, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator Forest AK Singh, Director Social Forestry Suresh Chugh, Chief Conservator Forest (Kashmir) Nisar Ahmad Darzi, Inspector General CRPF (Kashmir) Atual Karwal, OC Jaidev Kesiri, Deputy Commissioner Budgam Mir Altaf, and Director Social Forestry Kashmir A R Mir.