The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF&HoFF), J&K, Roshan Jaggi reviewed the preparedness for Monsoon Plantation Program of Forest and allied wings at a high-Level meeting here at FRMC, Forest Headquarters at Jammu.
The meeting attended by regional APCCF Jammu, B.M.Sharma, the Circle Level Conservators, Divisional Forest Officers and other senior officers from different districts discussed in detail the action plan and strategy to implement the flagship programme of ‘Green J&K Drive’ and ‘Har Gaon Haryali’, amongst other important deliverables entrusted to the Forest and Environment sector by the government.
The Green J&K Drive envisages to take up plantation activities by actively involving the PRIs and other stakeholders and organise mass awareness programme to motivate people about the need and importance to upscale the afforestation activities across all the districts of UT.
It was informed that the department has drawn an ambitious program to plant 175 lakh plants and distribute about 90 lakh seed balls/grass-slips, seed-packets under the low cost greening initiative by involving public, school children, NGOs, paramilitary forces, government departments and other stakeholders in coming months. The initiative aims at reaching out to all 4,290 Gram Panchayats comprising of 6,800 villages across all districts of UT of J&K.
The meeting informed that involvement of PRIs, NGOs, students and government Departments, Eco-Clubs Paryavaran Mitras shall be the focus of afforestation program to create a mass movement for large scale afforestation on Forest as well as non-forest lands and enhance economic and environmental services to individuals and community as a whole. For providing clean and healthy living environment in urban and peri-urban areas, the department is in the process of establishing 24 Nagar Vans and Nagar Vatikas during the current year and the program shall be extended to all the Urban Local Bodies in a progressive way. A good number of Gram Panchayats every year have been earning funds to Village fund from the proceeds of mature plantations raised on Panchayat lands and many GPs have been coming forward to offer available land for afforestation activities
The Government is very keen to maintain zero tolerance policy towards forest encroachments. The department, by making use of technological innovations has taken up on war footing the exercise of renovation and strengthening the forest boundary lines of all the vulnerable forest areas by digitization of forest records, geo-referencing of the Boundary Pillars (BPs) and establishing of innovative geo-tagged BPs. The department has drawn a plan to complete the exercise with respect to all vulnerable Forests by March 2024.
To ensure the active participation of forest-based communities in forest management and enhancing their livelihoods, Self-Help Groups through National Rural Livelihood Mission and BMCs are being actively involved in collection and marketing of Non- Timber Forest Produce (NTFPs) like Gucchi, Anardana and other valuable forest produce. To promote the recreational values of forests, 75 Trek Routes have been operationalized, which are being used by student – groups , trekkers and other nature lovers to enjoy wilderness in its pristine and helping to increase awareness amongst various stakeholders to preserve environment and forests for better quality of life.
The PCCF & HoFF exhorted upon the officers to have a close working relationship with people living in and around the forests to strengthen their involvement in protection and sustainable management of forests.
Under “Van Se Jal, Jal Se Jeevan” initiative, department is developing/renovating 480 Water Harvesting Structures in different areas which face water scarcity issues by facilitate rain water harvesting and recharge of ground water. It is aimed at increasing the productivity and livelihoods of the people in water stressed regions.
The department shall support a massive voluntary plantation campaign in the coming months of monsoon, people interested in taking up planting of medicinal, ornamental and other economically important plant species need to plan by liaising with departmental functionaries to get good quality planting stocks from nurseries. The department has appealed to the public to become part of the mass plantation initiative launched by the department and contribute towards the environmental security and economic well-being of UT of Jammu &Kashmir.
