Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 3: A group of 33 Indian Forest Service Probationers of the 2014 Batch from the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, currently on a tour to Jammu and Kashmir, called on N. N. Vohra, Governor, here at the Raj Bhavan today.
The Governor, while interacting with the IFS Probationers, observed that we must protect our forest wealth as this is vital for the survival of human and animal life on planet earth. He stressed that the preservation of forests is deeply connected with the protection and preservation of environment and ecology and the threatening challenges posed by climate change.
Replying to the queries from the Probationers on a wide range of subjects, the Governor observed that the difficult situation which had prevailed in the State in the past years had resulted not only in huge human and economic losses but also caused severe damage to forest wealth. He said that, with the return of normalcy, high attention is now being devoted to the conservation and regeneration of forests in the State.
The Governor, who is Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, referred to the initiatives being taken by the Board for the conservation and promotion of green cover in the entire Shrine area in the Trikuta Hills where the Forest wing of the Shrine Board has already planted over 12 lakh saplings in the past 4 years.
The Governor wished the Probationers successful careers in the Indian Forest Service.
P.K.Tripathi, Principal Secretary to the Governor; A.K. Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, J&K; Rajiv Tiwari, CCF, Kashmir and Dr. Senthil Kumar, Faculty Member, IGNFA were present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Sarmad Hafeez, Vice Chairman, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), called on Governor and briefed him about various ongoing conservation and management projects initiated for saving the environment and ecology of J&K’s important lakes and water bodies, particularly the Dal and Nigeen lakes.
He apprised the Governor about the to-date status of clearing nallahs which are the main source of water for these lakes; solid waste management, regulation of construction activities in the catchment areas and to-date status of settlement of Dal dwellers under Rakh-i- Arth project.
Governor asked Hafeez to take time bound measures for the conservation of these vital natural resources.
A delegation of RTI activists led by Dr. Raja Muzzafar Bhat also called on Governor.
The delegation sought the Governor’s intervention in restoring J&K RTI Rules 2010; need for bringing in Police Reforms in consultation with the Civil Society; enacting a relevant version of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act; introduction of reforms in school education as per New Leaf Initiative for all districts of the Valley; and need to explore new adventure tourist destinations in the State.
The Governor assured that these issues would be duly pursued with the State Government.
The other members of the delegation comprised Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Shahid Ahmad, Umar Javaid and Dr. Lubna Khan.
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