early times REport
Jammu, Jan 8: A Manual briquetting machine has been installed by Nowshera Forest Division at village Bhajwal of Sunderbani Forest Range. The machine has been developed by IIT Rurkee. It is very easy to operate and it is also potable.
As per the statement, even women and elderly people can easily operate it, the machine was a test run by Arun Kumar Chairman Block Development Council Sunderbani in presence of Vinod Banyal KAS Additional Deputy commissioner, Sunderbani, Neelima Shah IFS Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera, Lok Nath Sarpanch Bhajwal, Rakesh Verma Range Forest Officer Sunderbani and number of Sarpanches, Panches, and local people.
Speaking on occasion Neelima Shah IFS Divisional Forest Officer, Nowshera said that chir forests of the Nowshera Forest Division are vulnerable of forest fires. Every year hectares together of Chir forest burn due to the fallen chir pine needles. Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera came forward to mitigate the forest fire by utilizing the fallen chir needles as resources. She contacted IIT Rurkee and got a manual machine installed at village Bhajwal. The process of briquetting out of chir needle will mitigate forest fire on one hand and generate employment, on the other hand, she said that the machine was launched by Worthy Pr. Chief Conservator of Forest (HoFF) on 5th of January at Jammu.
Sh. Arun Kumar Chairman Block Development Council Sunderbani overwhemly welcomed the initative of Nowshera Forest Division. He said that Sunderbani block is always ready to help the forest department in containing forest fires. He also said that he will get more machines in his jurisdiction so that fire incidences could be contained.
Vinod baniyal KAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sunderbani said that it is a welcome step of forest department, it will definitely contain fire incidence and give employment to local youth. He asked the participants to constitute SHGs and work with forest department to conserve the green gold.
Rakesh Verma Range Forest Officer Sunderbani while speaking on the accessing said that Sunderbani Forest Range has constituted SHGs/VFCs which will work in close coordination with the forest department in preparation of chir pine briquettes. He said that a team of IIT Rurkee has come to impart training in handling of machines, preparation of briquettes, packing, and further marketing.
Lok Nath, Sarpanch Bhajwal said that it is an initiative that will conserve the green gold, his panchayat will help the forest department at every level as and when required. He also requested Divisional Forest Officer, Nowshera to hold chir needle handicraft training at Bhajwal so that women of village Bhajwal will get benefitted. Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera said that Nowshera Forest Division has master trainers who will impart training, when the SHGs gets constituted the training will be imparted.
Rakesh Verma Range Forest Officer Sunderbani thanked Arun Kumar Chairman Block Development Council, Neelima Shah Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera, Vinod Banyal KAS Additional Deputy Commissioner Sunderbani, Lok Nath Sarpanch Bhajwal, Panches, the general public, Nishi Kant chairman press club Sunderbani, and staff of sunderbani Forest Range for making the event successful.
The whole program was conducted under the direct supervision of Vivek Verma IFS, Conservator of Forest, West Circle Rajouri. |
