Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 6: Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmed has called upon all the heads of forest and its allied Departments to ensure time bound completion of all ongoing forest and environment conservation projects in the State, adding that any delay or negligence in this regard would be viewed seriously.
The instructions were issued by the Minister while chairing a high level meeting of the department convened to review the pace of ongoing development projects and funds incurred there off, here today.
The Minister instructed concerned authorities to formulate action plans for identified areas and submit the same for approval so that the under execution work would not suffer for want of exchequer. He directed the authorities to submit utilization certificates timely to the Union Forest Ministry for release of next installment of funds as delay in this regard hampers the pace of work of the projects.
He also directed the concerned to pursue the projects, the DPRs of which have already been submitted to Centre by the State Government. He also asked for ensuring full release of funds under CAMPA and other schemes, including those under State sector.
Mian Altaf exhorted upon the heads of different wings of Forest Department, Environment, Wild Life, Social Forestry, Pollution Control Board and Soil Conservation to personally monitor project sites and ensure timely completion and use of standard material. He stressed for timely use of funds and cautioned that lapses or misuse of funds at the fag end of fiscal year should be viewed seriously.
The Minister instructed Pollution Board authorities to intensify inspections through special checking squads to enforce blanket ban on use of polythene. He directed for initiating stringent action against manufacturing units found indulging in manufacturing of non-degradable and recycled polythene bags.
“The board authorities should also ensure through checking of interstate Goods Carriers at Lakhanpur and Lower Munda to plug the transportation of the banned material into the State”, he stressed. He suggested installing of scanners to check the transportation of illegal and environmental hazardous material through these points.
The Minister also directed to keep close vigil on the disposal of the medical waste by the hospitals. “Proper disposal of the medical waste should be ensured by frequent checking of the hospitals and nursing homes”, he added.
Among others, Commissioner Secretary Forest Aaijaz Iqbal, Chairman, Pollution Control Board Lal Chand, Chief Wild Life Warden A K Singh, Director, Forest Protection Force Mohammad Shafi Khan, Director, Social Forestry, Hafiz-ullah siddiqi, Director, FSRI Deepak Khana, Director, Soil Conservation U Pachnandan, Director, Environment Suresh Chug, Chief Conservator Forests, Jammu Ravi Kaiser, Chief Conservator Forests (CAMPA) L K Sharma and other officers of the department attended the meeting.
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