Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 19: Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmed today said that Jammu and Kashmir is full of fauna and flora and the Government has taken reformative steps for its conservation, adding that it is our collective responsibility to work for this. He said with certain firm measures, the Government has succeeded in curbing timber smuggling in the State.
The Minister was replying to the demand of grants for the Forests Department in the Lower House today.
The Minister said that under CAMPA programme about Rs. 55 crore are being utilized for development of forests in the State and a number of works have been completed. He said monitoring mechanism has been intensified across the State while chain fencing is undertaken to conserve forest land in Jammu to avoid encroachment of forest areas.
He said that 73 lakh plants are targeted to be planted during coming season in the State. He said 54 lakh Conifer saplings have been raised in departmental nurseries which would be distributed among the farmers of the State.
The Minister said 18 lakh cft of timber was provided to the needy consumers on concessional rates during the current fiscal. He said that the functioning of Forest Department was streamlined and more transparency and accountability brought in the system, adding that vacant posts of various categories have been filled. He said 40 new posts of DFOs have recently been filled and process of recruitment of 450 Forest Guards is in progress.
Mian Altaf said that 4 new Forest Divisions are being created to further strengthen the network of department. He said the department has issued forest clearance for several road projects besides ropeway of Mubarak Mandi and Zojila Tunnel.
Mian Altaf said the ex-gratia relief for the victims of man-animal conflicts has been increased to Rs. 3 lakh, adding that several measures were taken to check the incidents. He said, however, 27 persons died in such incidents besides 328 persons injured in Kashmir division.
The Minister said that conservation of Asia’s largest Wullar Lake is being carried out at a cost of Rs. 120 crore, adding that for the purpose Rs. 12 crore were expended this fiscal, while as tenders for Rs. 24 crore for executing various conservation works of the lake have been floated.
Earlier, the Minister moved a Demand for Grant of a sum of Rs. 657.33 crore to defray the charges which will come in the course of payment during the year ending March 31, 2015 for the departments under his charge.
19 Members took part in discussion on demand of grants including Nasir Aslam Wani, Rafi Ahmed Mir, Krishan Chander, Lal Chand, Nizam-ud-din Bhat, Mohammad Sharief Niaz, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Jugal Kishore, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Charanjit Singh, Prof Chaman Lal, Javed Mustafa Mir, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Ashok Kumar, Haji Mohammad Ashraf, Ashok Khajuria, Er Abdul Rashid, Syed Bashir Ahmed and Yashpal Kundal.
Later, the members, who moved the Cut Motions on the Grants, withdrew after the satisfactory reply from the Minister.
The House passed the grants by a voice vote.
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