Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh today informed the Legislative Assembly that in last one year the department has retrieved around 1.35 lakh kanal encroached forest land, planted 2 crore saplings to revitalize degraded forests and minimize the human intervention, which is the root cause of all troubles.
Winding up the debate on Demand for Grants of the Forest, Ecology, Environment and allied departments, the Minister said development of new nurseries across the State forms the prime among series of initiatives taken to sustain and stabilize frail environmental ambience.
“Establishment of hi-tech nurseries and upgrading of existing ones for production of quality planting stocks with a target of raising 15 crore saplings annually is a major step forward to increase the annual plantation targets”, he said.
He said State-wide drive carried out last year witnessing plantation of 2 crore saplings on mainland including 30% fruit bearing species and 2.5 lakh along the National Highways became possible with untiring efforts of departmental functionaries and cooperation of the local people.
He said as on date out of 20,230 sq km forest area, about 9000 sq km area is degraded due to the unabated human intervention. He further informed that, 3.82 lakh kanal of forest area was under encroachment as on April 1, 2016, of which 1.35 lakh kanal has been retrieved till December 2017.
Lal Singh said that there is a requirement of around Rs 10,000 crore for treating 9,00,000 hectares of degraded forest area of the State and at the rate of present funding, it will take more than 350 years to rehabilitate the degraded forest area.
Under Social Forestry Department, ornamental plantations have been done on National Highway alongside from Lakhanpur to Qazigund by planting 2.50 lakh plants which has been appreciated by all.
“To effectively deal with wild fires and minimize the damage to the forest, the department has provided modern fire-fighting equipment along with fire proof uniform to the field staff to control the blaze”, the Minister said.
Listing major achievement of Wildlife Protection Department, the Minister said that after six decades, the Sheep Breeding Farm located within Dachigam National Park has been shifted thereby restoring 2000 kanal of land back to the National Park.
The department is also considering to declare Tral area as Wildlife Sanctuary for the conservation of Hangul by way of connecting natural corridors on landscape basis, he said adding that Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary is also being upgraded with renovation of ancient structures and palace, development of ecotourism spots, restoration of historic water bodies, etc while the process of demarcation of notified limits of Protected Areas comprising of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Wetlands and Conservation Reserves has been taken up with Revenue Department and other agencies.
He informed that department is in the process of developing Jambu Zoo and Pahalgam Zoo in the State with an estimate cost of Rs 121 crore and Rs 100 crore respectively.
He said 401 kanal of land in Gharana Wetland Reserve has also been identified and demarcated in consultation with the Revenue Department thereby paving the restoration of the wetland.
With regard to put an effective check on pollution in the State, Lal Singh stated that State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has taken up effective measures to control the air pollution arising from the operation of brick kilns/stone crushers including plantation, metalling and sprinkling of water on approach roads to arrest fugitive dust.
Later the House passed the Grants of Rs 79909.69 lakh for Forest, Ecology and Environment Departments.
Earlier, initiating the discussion, Usman Abdul Majid urged the Government to focus on increasing the forest cover in the State. He also asked the Government to rope in the people living near forest land and provide them required awareness and livelihood so that they assist the Government is preserving and protecting the forests.
Ravinder Rana urged the Government for retrieving the encroached forest land. He also asked the Government for release of funds under 14th Financial Commission.
Mohammad Khalil Bandh said that tourism sector in J&K is just because of the presence of forests in the State while the agriculture, irrigation, forests and other major contributors of GDP are directly or indirectly dependent on forests.
Mohammad Akbar Lone seconded the views presented by legislator Usman Majeed regarding conservation of Wullar Lake. He also called for making temporary Timber Sale Depots functional in his constituency on permanent basis.
Bashir Ahmad Dar asked the Government to release early compensation to the man-animal conflict cases of his constituency. He also stressed the need to stop felling of trees to ensure pollution free Jammu and Kashmir.
Pawan Kumar Gupta identified some of the short comings in the distribution of timber in his constituency and urged the Government to streamline the sale mechanism of the timber. He said several forest clearance cases are pending in the department with regard to the construction of roads in Udhampur constituency particularly the cases for which funds have already been released out of CDF and various other schemes so that work can be started at earliest.
Jeevan Lal urged the Government for early sanctioning of compensation of man-animal conflict cases and issuance of timber to the people living near forest land on concessional rates as was given to them in past.
Abdul Majid Padder asked the Government for developing Environment Park in his constituency and also urged for construction of Forest Hut at Aharbal.
Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar called for massive plantation drive in his constituency and also asked the Government for development and preservation of Shalbug Rakh.
Gulzar Ahmad Wani demanded enhancement in compensation being given in man-animal conflict cases. Shah Mohammad Tantray expressed concern over the degradation of forests in past few decades and urged the Government to take extra interest in preserving and conserving the forests besides taking steps to bring more land under forest cover.
Altaf Ahmad Wani demanded opening of new sale depots in Pahalgam constituency and asked the Government for ensuring of fire fighting equipments in the department.
Syed Farooq Andrabi urged the department to start a special plantation drive along the newly constructed four-lane highway from Qazigund to Baramulla. He urged the Government to focus on the welfare of Gujjar community as they are the best defenders of forests and the Government should take care of this community.
G M Saroori demanded opening of more timber depots in Inderwal constituency. He also asked the Government to upgrade the damaged infrastructure of forest and its allied departments; assets under CAMPA in his constituency.
Shakti Raj Parihar urged the Government to put an end to unabated deforestation while appreciating the massive plantation drive launched by the department. He, however, appealed the Government to start the plantation drive in Doda district also so that the forest cover can be increased and degradation can be compensated.
Abdul Majid Larmi urged the Government to provide sufficient stock of timber especially Gail (Kairo) in his constituency and establish Timber Sale Depots at Wanpoh, Larm Bazar, Uranhall, Batingoo, Redwana, Kujer and other feasible areas of Homshalibugh constituency.
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