- Main aim of festival to integrate forest, society and economy: Padder
SRINAGAR: Minister of State for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Animal Husbandry and Forest, Mr. Abdul Majeed Padder Sunday inaugurated “Forest Food Festival” Janglek Khazane te Amik Khen Chen organized by Department of Ecology , Environment & Remote Sensing, J&K in collaboration with Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Rajbagh and Centre for Conservation of Culture & Heritage.
The Minister who was also the Chief Guest on the occasion said that main objective of the said festival is to make people aware about benefits of herbal food and to attract more people towards it. He said “the festival is a tool being used to attract people to cultivate these herbs in their farm lands”.
While planting various food plant saplings, the Minister said that such an event integrates forest, society and the economy of the State and added that the festival shall help promote traditionally old herbs which also have a medicinal value.
The Minister while appreciating the concerned authorities for organizing such an event said that government under the leadership of Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is committed to improve socio-economic profile of common masses and steps in this direction are being taken to achieve sustainable development.
On the occasion, stalls with various types of food items including Soi Chai, Poostal Chai, Pudina te Arr Kehva, Macharan Chai, Babribyol Chai, Tethwan Pulao, Nettel Soup and other herbal products were put up by the Ecology department and its allied wings. Later, the Minister gave away certificates and mementos to various participating agencies.
Principal Secretary, Forests, Environment & Ecology, Mr. R K Gupta, Chairman, Pollution Control Board, Mr. Abdul Razak, Director, Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing, Mr. O P Sharma, senior officers of concerned department, NGOs and people in large numbers were present on the occasion.