Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 5: A team from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had a detailed meeting with Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government Forest, Environment & Ecology Department, regarding a new GEF funded project: Secure Himalaya (Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems) in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
Besides Dr Ruchi, Pant Programme Manager and Team Leader, Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, Ravi Kumar Kesar Pr CCF (WL)/ HoFF/Chief Wildlife Warden were also present in the meeting.
The meeting was aimed at looking into the details of various components of the project and incorporating various inputs particularly on the key activities that could be commissioned immediately at the start-up of the programme.
During the meeting, some operational matters were also discussed which included finalization of the fund flow mechanism, the formation of the State steering committee and designation of nodal officers for the State at landscape level for smooth implementation of the project activities and achievement of best outcomes. The team also finaliaed the arrangements for the inception workshop to launch the project and introduce members of the Project Management Unit.
The project aims to support the Government of India and State Governments to effectively promote sustainable land and forest management in alpine pastures and forests in high range Indian Himalayan ecosystems that secure sustainable livelihoods and ensures conservation of globally significant biodiversity and threatened species.
The project envisages Rs 15 crores to be spent over a period of five years and adopting a landscape approach by involving various stakeholders. The J&K Department of Wildlife Protection will be the Nodal Department for implementation of the project. The convergence of various stakeholders including the all the Government departments operating at the landscape level shall be the key feature of the project. The project would be implemented in the high altitude trans-Himalayan region.
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