Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 27: Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today called upon the officers of Forests and its allied wings to take requisite steps for massive afforestation and infrastructural development under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (State CAMPA).
Chairing a high level meeting of officers of Forests Department, the Minister sought information about the Steering Committee meeting which was earlier chaired by Chief Secretary.
The Minister emphasized on massive afforestation and directed the officers to take anticipatory measure and plant the saplings on open chunk of forest land in order to check encroachments. He asked the officers to be proactive and intensify field visits to monitor the developmental activities launched by the department to achieve tangible results on ground. He directed the officers to use funds judiciously sanctioned under CAMPA so that set targets are achieved in stipulated time frame.
Reviewing the physical and financial progress achieved during the last and current fiscal year with regard to the Wildlife Conservation and Protection in various regions of State, the Minister called for coordinated efforts to launch massive afforestation across the State under CAMPA and ensuring wildlife protection in best possible ways.
Directing the officers to launch massive anti-timber smuggling drive and nab the culprits who are benefiting out of the current prevailing situation, the Minister also asked for intensifying drive to curb timber smuggling and its perpetrators across the State. He said that Government is making all out efforts for the preservation and protection of green wealth of State.
Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Muhammad Afzal Bhat, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, A K Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden, AK Khanna, CCF Jammu, CCF Kashmir, Director Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing O P Sharma, Director Soil Conservation, Managing Director, State Forest Corporation, Director, Social Forestry, Suresh Chugh, Director, Forest Protection Force, Suresh Gupta, besides Divisional Forest Officers of Social Forestry, Soil Conservation, Forests Protection.
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