New forest policy to focus on biodiversity, says CM

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 29

Reiterating his commitment to framing a new forest policy that will primarily focus on environmental conservation, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today described stemming the loss of biodiversity as one of the biggest challenges for the government.

He said the time had come to rethink the relationship with the environment by looking for practical ways in harmonising human activities with what the environment could sustain in the long run.

Mufti was addressing the gathering after planting a deodar sapling under the “Sabzar-wa-Shafaf Kashmir”, an afforestation drive launched by the 15 Corps, at Baltal near Sonmarg in Ganderbal district today.

With the active support of children and the local population, nearly 1,300 deodar and 700 kail saplings were being planted to rejuvenate forests under the plantation drive at Baltal.

The Army, in its endeavour to improve the ecology of the Valley, had launched a massive afforestation drive “Sabzar-wa-Shafaf Kashmir” (green and clean Kashmir) in various parts of the Valley.

The Awantipora-based Army, under the aegis of the Chinar Corps, started the afforestation drive at Baltal with the plantation of saplings by the Chief Minister and Chinar Corps Commander, Lt Gen Subrata Saha.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, Minister for Public Works, Floriculture, Gardens and Parks Syed Altaf Bukhari, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister BB Vyas and Ganderbal Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ejaz were present on the occasion.

Stressing upon people’s participation in maintaining ecological balance, Mufti directed the Forest Department to undertake reforestation drives on denuded forest land in other parts of the state.

“There is also an urgent need to make people caware of the significance of forests and our rich biodiversity,” he said, indicating that the new forest policy would accord the highest priority to environmental conservation.

The Chief Minister emphasised upon the Forest Department the need to undertake awareness campaigns about ecological conservation so that the treasures of nature could be saved for posterity.