Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 30: Asking for judicious utilization of funds, the Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmad urged upon the officers to prioritize all those projects which are targeted to be completed during this financial year.
The Minister was chairing an officers meeting of the Forest Department here today convened to review the allocation of funds to different wings of the department for current fiscal.
He asked Commissioner Secretary to release funds to different wings which included wildlife, soil conservation, forest, social forestry etc as per the priority fixed by their heads to ensure proper implementation of plans.
The Minister directed concerned officers to start timely plantation in Jammu division besides launching an awareness programme about the availability of plants in forest nurseries. He asked them to carry out plantation on large scale on available chunk of forest land besides Government office land, schools and other relevant locations in order to maintain ecological balance in the division.
It was given out that Rs 20 lakh stands expended against total estimated cost of Rs. 66 lakh on construction of Ningli Rest House while work is in full swing on construction of Rs 22 Lakh Dooru Rest House. The meeting was told that 80 per cent work of Shopian and Bandipora Rest Houses have been completed.
Earlier, the Minister reviewed the status of the forest clearance issues required for proposed Keeru and Kawar power projects and directed concerned officer to complete the process expeditiously in view of the importance of the issue.
Meanwhile, Mian Altaf asked the authorities of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Forest Department to speed up issuance and renewal process of licenses to the Industrial Unit Holders besides following the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board while handling environmental issues in the State.
The Minister was talking to the Representatives of Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association and Saw Mill Association of Anantnag here today.
Commissioner Secretary Forests Sheikh Aijaz Iqbal besides senior officers of Forest Department and SPCB were also present on the occasion.
The Minister asked the Representatives of Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir and Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association to cooperate with the Government in safeguarding environment in and around their business establishments. He said Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) need to be constructed near hotels and restaurants as per guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board. He asked them to construct septic tanks as per requirement and norms fixed to this effect.
Emphasizing for early renewal of licenses to the industrial units of Anantnag district, the Minister directed officers of SPCB and Forest Department to streamline the process so that the grievances of the unit holders are addressed.
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