Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 16: Taking trek of around 10 kilometers of Zabarwan Hills, Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology Choudhary Lal Singh today said the Government is committed to develop city forests and focus on tree lining for improving the green cover in the State’s summer capital and also promote eco-tourism.
“There is a need to develop the city forest areas in and around the Srinagar city,” he informed the officials during the Zabarwan Hills trek.
He said Forest Department would develop the city forests in summer capital Srinagar, from Zabarwan hills including Shankar Achariya hills, and other adjoining hills which would add new life to the historic city.
The Minister informed that the Government would plant over 15 lakh plants in and alongside the city forest conserves area. He also took a review of plantation and other works carried out by the department. He asked officials to begin the further plantation drive soon.
The Minister said that he was personally monitoring the works being carried out by the department. He said his earlier trek from Pari Mahal foothills which later culminated at Kral Sangri plantation nursery has given him an understating of developing this forest area into prime tourist attraction.
The Minister was accompanied by Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, Nissar Ahmed Darzi, Conservators, DFOs, Warden, Dachigam National Park, Tahir Shawl, DFO Urban Circle, Hakim Mukhtar Ahmad along with other senior officials of the Forest and its allied wings.
Later, the Minister also took stock of the forest areas which witnessed forest fires. He asked officials to keep check on such tragedies and depute fire watchers for better results. “Officials should also keep close check on the smugglers who are destroying the forests by taking undue advantage of the ongoing unrest in Kashmir region,” he said.
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