Ramban, Mar 16: Commissioner Secretary, Forest Department, Sanjeev Verma, today conducted an exhaustive tour of Ramban district and launched a plantation drive under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
On the occasion, Commissioner Secretary planted a sapling of Chinar tree in the premises of Government Higher Secondary School, Ramban in presence of PRI members and Village Panchayat Plantation Committee (VPPC) members. He interacted with the people residing in the vicinity of Forest areas of the district and took stock of their issues and concerns.
He was accompanied by the Director/PCCF Department of Social Forestry, Roshan Jaggi, Deputy Commissioner, Mussarat Islam, President MC, Sunita Sumbria, DDC Councilor, Rakesh Thakur, SSP, Mohita Sharma, Conservator of Forests, East Circle Jammu, B Mohan Dass, Joint Director Soil and Water Conservation, Jammu, Abhijit Joshi, ADDC, Rajinder Sharma, ACD, Zameer Rishu, DFOs and other senior Forest Officers besides representatives PRIs.
Sanjeev Verma emphasized the importance of rainwater harvesting for these hilly areas which shall help in increasing production of grass and fodder for locals besides improving the habitat for avi-fauna of the area. He asked the officers to integrate forestry works with the department of Rural Development under MGNREGA convergence plan to generate maximum number of man days for local population besides improving the green cover on the earth.
Sanjeev Verma, further said that the department is organizing such programmes across J&K to ensure participation of VPPCs for successful implementation of JK Green drive.
While appreciating the officers and officials of Forest Department and all other forest dwellers for protecting and preserving forests, Commissioner Secretary urged upon the locals including Village Panchyat Committees to protect forests especially during the forthcoming forest fire season extending whole hearted support to the field functionaries of the department.
He encouraged the farmers to plant early maturity plants on their spare and waste land and join hands with the Forest department to plant more and more plants in their nearby forest areas. He assured that a team of experts would soon be deployed to study the scope of increasing production of Anardana and Solai Honey in the district.
Responding to the issue raised by the staff, Commissioner Secretary informed that the department is going to fill up posts of Forester and Forest Guard to ensure smooth forest management.
Meanwhile, PCCF informed that 1.30 crore plants would be planted across the UT under which 12000 hectare area would be covered besides planting 10 Lakh fodder plants to cover up the deficiency of the same.
