Forest Department celebrates Rashtriya Ekta Diwas & UT foundation Day

SRINAGAR, October 31: J&K Forest Department today organized various events to mark the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and J&K UT Foundation Day across various Districts of J&K.

The main function was held at Bal-Van in Cheshmashahi Forests at Srinagar wherein a large number of students from various schools of City, NGOs, field staff of J&K Forest Department, local people and senior officers of the department participated.

A Green March was organized along ForeShore road of Dal Lake which culminated in Bal-Van wherein Plantation Drive was organized.

Speaking on the occasion, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) J&K Forest Department, Roshan Singh Jaggi informed that Department has taken various initiatives in last four years for development and protection of Forests and Environment, preservation of water-bodies, enhancing livelihood avenues for forest dependent communities.

He informed that the plantation scale has been increased three fold and during 2023-24, 175 lakh plants are being planted on Forest and Non-Forest lands. All 4251 Gram Panchayats and 6750 villages are actively involved in afforestation programmes and rain water conservation activities, he added.

The Government’s new NTFP Policy is being implemented by which local house-holds have started getting enhanced income from collection and sale of forest produce like Guchies and other medicinal plants, the PCCF stated.

Under ‘Forests for Recreation Initiative’, 92 Trekking routes have been made functional and 63 Forest Huts are being used through online booking mode by large number of people to enjoy the Sylvan natural environment at various locations across the UT of J&K. 17 Nagar-Vans are being developed for the benefits of the residents of Cities / Towns.

Under the Forest Rights Act, 5403 titles have been given to ST communities so far. Six services which have bearing on common people and entrepreneurs have been switched over to online mode for increasing the ease of life and ease of doing business. Process of Licensing of Wood-based Industries / Furniture Units has been made user friendly.

The PCCF said that the department has taken a landmark initiative to secure Forest lands against encroachments by renovating the boundaries of Forests. The initiative involves re-constructing the boundaries of Forests by installing 3.03 Lakh Boundary Pillars and digitization of land records in a time bound manner.

During 2023-24, more than 20 Lakh trees yielding fodder and more than 25 Lakh trees which are commercially important and yield raw-material to Wood-based Industries are being planted/ distributed to people to enhance the livelihood avenues, he added.