JAMMU: Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, Choudhary Lal Singh directed the officers of Forests department and its allied wings to gear up their men and machinery for starting a massive plantation drive during the monsoon season. Minister said this while interacting with the officers of Forest Department during a meeting held here today.
Chief Conservator of Social Forestry A K Gupta, Chief Conservator of Forests Farooq Jeelani, Conservator East Circle Naveen Shah, Conservator Chenab Circle T B Singh besides Divisional Forest Officers of Territorial, Wildlife and Social Forestry of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Poonch and Rajouri were present in the meeting.
Choudhary Lal Singh asked the Divisional Forest Officers to identify the open spaces of Forest land and other suitable areas for taking up plantations during the coming monsoon to improve the green cover in the region. He also exhorted upon people to actively partake in the plantation drives to preserve the ecology of the state.
Taking serious note of certain complaints of encroachment of Forest Land at Rajouri, the Minister directed the Divisional Forest Officer to immediately take action in this regard and submit a report. He also stressed on maintaining proper records to protect the forest cover in the district.
Later, the Minister reviewed the district-wise progress of demarcation and reclamation of encroached forest land and asked the concerned to expedite the demarcation and fencing of forest land across the State. He also asked them to act sternly against encroachers to retrieve forest land and put it to original use.