Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 2: Notwithstanding the fact that forests play a vital role in the maintenance of ecological balance and environmental stability, Jammu and Kashmir is lacking appropriate and harmonious planning for the conservation of forest areas. Moreover, there is no required focus on plantation of the trees which is otherwise imperative in all the degraded forest ranges especially when developmental projects are causing widespread damage to the green gold of the State.
This has been observed by the Committee on Estimates of the Legislative Assembly in its 44th report tabled in the State Legislature recently. “There was no focus on the plantation of trees on one side and complete failure to protect the existing ones on other side”, the Committee said, adding the State was comparatively lagging behind in the conservation component.
At a time when special emphasis has been laid on the construction of the PMGSY, PWD, Rural Road, NH-IA projects and railway tracks to connect the remote areas of the State through rail/road network including few mega power projects, an indigenous planning was required to be formulated to save the geographical/ecological entity of the State. However, this vital aspect failed to receive the required attention of the Forest Department, the Committee pointed out.
“The slogan of the department—-‘Food is subservient to forests’ needs to be adhered to practically by way of planting the trees”, the Committee said, adding “the department should also determine the social needs otherwise the timber needy would have to depend only on the imported timber because of the continuous tendency of forest degradation in the State”.
Stating that unless there was a proper planning no new forest map was possible, the Committee said that the Forest Department having its resources, produces of higher rates available with it should work for their survival and ensure the availability of wildlife shelter, pastures, wetlands and other medicinal herbs etc. “The State should formulate adequate/appropriate and harmonious planning for the conservation of these forest areas and restoration of past glory for further generation”, the Committee stressed.
“Since the life style has changed and the social needs increased, there is a dire need to have the strongest fencing of the forest areas to protect the forests and to maintain the natural regeneration besides undertaking the plantations wherever found necessary”, the Committee said in its report.
The Committee has also observed that the stone crushers and brick kilns have been causing an adverse impact on the environment as some of them were still functioning without registration. “This is mainly due to the in-effective approach of the Pollution Control Board and Forest Department”, the Committee remarked.
“The elimination of age-old pond system and fruit trees from the forest area is also a matter of deep concern as this results into the movement of wild animals beyond their habitats in search of food and water thereby causing man-wild animals conflicts”, the Committee further said.
Pointing towards the shortage of manpower in the Forest Department, the Committee has impressed upon the Government that an independent IFS cadre officer at higher level and other protection guards at ground level should be appointed expeditiously to make the department more effective and vibrant in all respects.
“The Forest Protection Force should be empowered to check the illegal extraction of timber and other forest produces”, the Committee said, adding “afforestation process should be started immediately in all the degraded forest ranges besides organizing the demonstration drives in this regard. Even the preventive measures for maintaining almost all the components should be taken up within a specific time-frame”.
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