Shopian/Srinagar, December 07 (Scoop News) –J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Tuesday while relating climate change to the denudation of forests, called for all out efforts for massive aforestation, terming it significantly important for maintenance of ecology and natural beauty of the State.
“We have to rejuvenate our green wealth and retrieve degraded forests to safeguard the future of coming generations”, he said and emphasized on concerted measures in this regard.
Addressing a public gathering after laying foundation of Forest Awareness Centre at Shahdab Kareva at Zawoora in Shopian district, the Chief Minister said that the erratic changes in the climate, witnessed during recent years, owe its demeanour to the heavy damage inflicted upon the rich forest wealth in the State.
“We have to girdle the loins to launch aforestation programme with enthusiasm and realize it successfully as a mission”, he said and added that the population living nearer the forests had all the more added responsibility in protecting and preserving the plant wealth. He said forests not only maintain climate and ecology but were responsible for plenty of water having direct standing for sustenance of agro-based economy and food production.
Omar stressed on involving students from all over the State in aforestation programme and awareness strategies. “This would not only inculcate in them the necessary love for bio-diversity of the State but help wide awareness in general people regarding importance of planting trees and protecting these for posterity”, he said adding that during his school days the regular drives for planting trees by the students was important feature of studies and he himself has planted more than 50 plants as a student.
The Chief Minister said that by the opening of historic
The Chief Minister said that in order to reduce the pressure on the forests of the State on account of timber extraction for local use, the government would provide all assistance for promotion of trade and business of timber import. “The government would encourage those who want to venture in the import of timber for its sale and supply in the State”, he said and maintained that this practice was necessary to be strengthened and enhanced to protect the forests of the State.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad said that 15,000 plants of Conifer, Kail, Deodar, etc would be planted on 32 hectares of the degraded forests adjacent to the awareness centre under the first phase. He said measures were afoot to safeguard the plant wealth and rejuvenate the depleted forests.
Mian Altaf said that Forest Department provide over 12 lakh cfts of timber to the people annually to accommodate the needs for construction of houses and repairs. “In order to reduce the pressure and keep imported timber available in the market, the department would encourage import of timber”, he said.
The Minister expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for getting the scheme of Compensatory Aforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) sanctioned for the State from Union Government. The Awareness Station was being launched in Shopian along with aforestation programme under this scheme.
The gathering was addressed by Minister of State for Forests, Shabir Ahmad Khan and Minister of State for Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani while Advisors to Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul and Devender Singh Rana were present besides Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secretary Forests, Shant Manu and
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