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| Greenery must for granary in plenty: Azad | | ‘Take afforestation as a national duty’ | | Jammu, Nov 23
Stressing the greater need for massive afforestation covering all vacant lands and depleted forest areas, Chief Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Thursday that greenery is must for granary in plenty, adding that protection and preservation of forests should be taken as a national duty.
Speaking at a function after inaugurating about Rs. 2.52 crore Forest Protection Headquarters building here, Mr Azad said that state’s economy is directly involved in the development of forest wealth. “Our natural beauty, palatable environments, tourism attraction, water resources and balanced eco-system owe their existence to lushgreen forests which once used to occupy vast areas inhabiting wide-ranging species of vegetation, herbs, shrubs, trees and fauna”, Mr. Azad said.
He asked the Forest Department to launch a comprehensive and well-planned strategy involving people of all shades including students and young children to raise plantations extensively. He said that such a programme should be started from village, panchayat and block levels expanding orbit of plantation raising activity gradually to tehsil, district, division and state levels. He said raising of forest wealth and forest produce could give considerable fillip to the economy and help generate employment besides accommodating requirements of timber, wood, fruit and water.
Chief Minister beseeched upon people in general and those living in the vicinity of forests in particular to help positively in protecting forest wealth and creating more and more plantation enclosures. He said the period of militancy has given severe jolt to forest development and lot of damage has been caused to forests which has to be retrieved by launching large scale plantations and taking every measure to protect forests.
Describing forests as backbone of state’s economy, he asked the officers to render their service in the field of forest protection and plantation raising with a missionary spirit and honestly.
Chief Minister appreciated JKPCC for completing the building within stipulated period.
Minister for Forests Qazi Mohammad Afzal highlighted the importance of forests for tourism and economic benefits of the state. He said every effort has been made to consolidate and expand forests in the state which once occupied largest areas and were rich sources of water.
He lauded Mr. Azad’s sincere efforts in carrying forward the state towards goal of peace and progress.
Minister for R&B Mr Gulchain Singh Charak said that the construction of building has been completed under double-shift working system of which Mr. Azad is the author.
Mr. Charak assured Chief Minister that projects identified under double-shift system of work would be completed within stipulated time frame.
Minister of State for Forests Mr. Ajaz Ahmad Khan underscoring importance of forests for sustaining the life said that forests are not only the source of basic life ingredients to human beings but also sustain animal population which in turn is all the more important for the society in many ways. He said forests not only sustain and nurture fauna and flora but are also good source for medicinal plants and water resources. He underlined the requirement for preserving and conserving forest wealth for the larger interest of the state and mankind.
Commissioner/Secretary Forests Mr. Najmus Saqib and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mr. Irshad Ahmad Khan also spoke on the occasion.
On the occasion giving brief about the activities of Forest Protection Force, Director Forest Protection Force stated that during current year 24,000 cft of timber and 71 vehicles involved in the smuggling of forest produce were seized as also 55 hectares of forest land retrieved from the encroachers.
Senior officers of Forest Department and JKPCC were also present.
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