Jammu Tawi, Oct 09: Emphasizing the need to protect state's forest wealth from encroachment, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today directed the officers of the forest department to ensure that demarcation of forest land is done in a transparent manner so that encroachment can be curbed at all levels.
The Minister was speaking at a high-level meeting held to review the progress of demarcation of forest land after inaugurating 3-day training programme for field staff (TPFS) on demarcation of forests at Forest Information Centre in Gandhi Nagar, here today.
Choudhary Lal Singh directed the officers for preparation of log books of each forest compartment for the knowledge of general public and the department as well. He asked for display of sign boards on Forest land so that the land grabbers do not dare to encroach upon state's forest land. He cautioned the officers of any laxity on their part in dealing with the encroachers.
Stating that encroachment will not be tolerated at any cost, the Minister called for formulation of a proper demarcation plan with greater vigil, proper fencing methodology and involvement of locals. He also called for undertaking computerization of forest land records so that proper upkeep of the available resources is ensured.
He directed the DFOs Territorial to personally monitor the fencing of forest land to check encroachment. He stressed on the need to generate mass awareness regarding the measures for safeguarding the forest wealth and prevent illicit felling of trees.
The Minister reiterated the commitment of the Government to plant trees along the National Highway from Lakhanpur to Kashmir valley. He also asked industrialists to install pollution control devices in their industrial units to minimize the pollution and plant at least 1000 plants in and around their industrial units.
