Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 27: Minister for Forests and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmed has reiterated Government’s resolve to meet all genuine demands of the people and provide them all basic amenities of life.
Addressing a public gathering at Lathi in Ramnagar district Udhampur, Mian Altaf said that up-gradation of road connectivity, better health care, provision for drinking water and education facilities in backward and remote areas was the main agenda of the present Government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Mian Altaf said that upliftment of downtrodden sections of the society, particularly SCs, STs including Gujjar Community was being given top priority.
Responding to the local demands, the Minister said minor local bridges in the area can be constructed under MGNREGA, adding that the Forest Department would also provide required timber for the purpose.
Reiterating that that the Forest Department was committed to provide adequate timber to meet the genuine needs of the people, he said for the purpose the extraction of fallen trees has been taken up at massive scale. He said development works under MGNREGA will also be given a flip so that local people get work for earning their livelihood.
Mr Altaf also assured that the land under wildlife sanctuary in compartment number one to six in Dudu-Basantgarh will be de-notified as soon as possible so that restriction on movement and grazing of cattle is removed. He said the Wild Life Department would be provided land in exchange somewhere else.
The Minister also assured that the forest clearance for the construction of roads in the Ramnagar tehsil would also be expedited so that construction work was started at the earliest.
The Minister assured the people that an officer of Wildlife Department will be deployed in the area to tackle the incidents of man -animal conflict. He said that timber to the consumer will be provided on priority.
Earlier, the Minister laid foundation stone of Inspection hut at Lathi, Ramnagar. The hut would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh. He also planted saplings on denuded forest land at Baishty and Marothi on the way to Lathi.
Commissioner Secretary Forests, Aijaz Iqbal, Chief Conservator Forest, Ravi Kaser, Director Soil Conservation, Opinder Pacahnanda, Conservator Forest Jammu, Roshan Jaggi and other senior officers of Forest Department accompanied the Minister.
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