GANDERBAL, JUNE 29: Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Sanjeev Verma, today visited Sindh Forest Division Ganderbal to review the departmental activities being carried out in the district.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, T. Rabi Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Krittika Jyotsna, Conservator Srinagar Circle, Zubair Ahmed, DFO Sindh, DD FPF besides other officers and officials were present on the occasion.
Commissioner Secretary inspected the Malhar Plant nursery and took stock of raising of different plant species there. He was informed that the nursery has a plant potential of around 4.55 lakh with variety of species like Deodar, Kail, Fir, Ulmus, cupress, Betula and Maple.
He appreciated the department for starting raising of high-altitude species of Bhojpatra (Betula).
At present the nursery has stocks of 1.15 lakh of Bhojpatra and its associate species available.
Later, Commissioner Secretary convened a review meeting at Malhar and took detailed assessment of the forestry works being carried out within the district. He appreciated the “one beat guard One village Programme” launched by the department for involving local villages in afforestation programme through use of Seed balls. He was informed that 35 such villages have been identified for the programme in the district.
He asked the DC to work out a module for integration of forestry works with MGNREGA under convergence for facilitating involvement of local gram panchayats.
Regarding degraded forest land in the division and acknowledging the efforts of the department in rehabilitation and reforestation of such areas, he advised for working out a detailed vision plan incorporating provisions for different segments of forests like vegetation, grasslands and scrublands so that rehabilitation programs are planned as per the requirements of each sector.
While reviewing scope of institutional plantations in the district, it was informed that Ganderbal district has planted 43000 saplings under “J&K Green drive” in the year 2020-21 in collaboration with different line departments under the institutional plantation program.
Commissioner Secretary, while appreciating the drive, advised for enthusiastic involvement of educational institutions, paramilitary forces and other line departments in these drives to generate awareness among the people regarding the role and importance of forest resources.
He directed DFO Sind to ensure plantation of different varieties of plants in the DC office complex so that people visiting the complex are able to appreciate the forest bio-diversity of the district.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Secretary planted a Maple sapling in the premises of the Nursery.
