Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 23: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) today demanded the exemption of wood-based industrial units, particularly those based on agro and farm forestry, from licensing requirements in Jammu and Kashmir.
A spokesperson of the federation said the Federation called a meeting in which the members emphasized that these units solely use timber sourced from private lands, not from J&K’s forests. ‘They pointed out that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has already exempted such industries from licensing through a gazette notification,” he said.
He said that the members alleged that the Forest Department in the Kashmir valley has been harassing these units with unnecessary formalities for license issuance and renewal. “They highlighted the contrasting guidelines between the Ministry of Environment and Forest and the UT guidelines, which require additional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Pollution Control Board and Fire and Emergency Services,” he said.
He informed that the president, Shahid Kamli, stressed the importance of agro-forestry-based industries in J&K’s economy and employment generation.
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