Srinagar November 01 (KNS): J&K Forest Department today conducted a mega plantation drive on degraded open forest land under State CAPEX Plan in Compartment Ri 30 adjoining Village Panchayat Nagbal, Yusmarg in PirPanjal Forest Division, Budgam.
Different stakeholders were involved in the plantation drive which include local panchayat members of Nagbal, Eco-clubs/ school children, NGOs and members of civil society, women & girl children for ‘ped lagayen beti ke naam, & officials of Forest and allied departments.
Ten thousand (10,000) conifer plants of common species including Fir are being planted, besides, planting of 1,650 broadleaved plants such as Fraxinus (Ash), Ulmus (Elm) and Robinia. An area of 02 ha has been specifically earmarked for pasture development through seed sowing in patches. Besides, dibbling of 1,000 No. seeds of horse chestnut is also being done to supplement planting efforts.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mohit Gera, PCCF (HoFF) informed that the mega plantation drive is part of Green J&K Drive: 2022-23 launched by Lt. Governor, J&K from AIIMS, Vijaypur on 28th July 2022 with the target of 1.35 Cr saplings to be planted and around 95 lacs low-cost planting interventions of greening such as seed balls, patch sowing and dibbling of seeds. The department has already planted close to 40 lac saplings during monsoon and around one crore saplings shall be planted during winter plantation in Kashmir valley, Chenab and higher reaches of Jammu region. He also informed that Forest Department achieved all the developmental deliverables assigned by the government for the preparatory phase of Jan Abhiyan: Back to Village-4 (15-26 Oct. 2022). More than 4,500 visits were made by the officials of Forest Department to different village panchayats and more than 2,640 villages were covered for ceremonial planting, distribution of planting material and preparatory works for winter planting. Forest Department also distributed 1,03,595 quintals of fodder to people during this period from its different plantation units.
Recognizing the importance of forests and tree cover in providing ecological security and creation of livelihoods besides meeting the bonafide needs of fuelwood and fodder, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has included tree planting related activity and provisioning of fodder in B2V4 program. The department is also implementing One Beat Guard, One Village” programme under the campaign “Har Gaon Hariyali
Lt. Governor, J&K on 21st March 2022 advised Forest Department to initiate tree planting on birth of girl child in Jammu and Kashmir in recognition to women empowerment and to inculcate understanding of nature and its important role in sustainable development. Forest Department has also initiated planting of tree saplings under the programme “Ped Lagayen Beti Ke Naam” which is being followed across UT of Jammu and Kashmir including during Jan Abhiyan: Back to Village-4.
The plantation drive was attended by Sarvesh Rai, APCCF/CEO CAMPA, T. Rabi Kumar, APCCF Kashmir and Zubair Ahmad Shah, Conservator of Forests, Srinagar Circle besides other senior officers and frontline staff of Forest Department. The departmental newsletter Vanposh compiled by the Publicity Wing of Forest Department was also released during the event.(KNS)