The Fact News Service
Chandigarh, November 25
Minister of Environment, Forests and Wildlife Rao Narbir Singh chaired a review meeting of the schemes and activities of the department here today.
During the meeting, the minister directed the department officials to take steps to promote eco-tourism and to increase the tree cover area from 7.75 percent to 10 percent in the state.He said ‘Green Gurugram-Green Haryana’ campaign should be run to promote awareness on afforestation.
He said it is his vision that improvements and transparency in the department should be visible on the ground. He directed to send a demand letter to the government soon to fill about 1,000 Forest Guard posts, which are currently lying vacant.
Issuing strict instructions against corruption of any kind, the minister told the officials to change their attitude and work in a transparent manner.
He said any irregularity will not be tolerated and action shall be taken against whoever is found guilty. Issuing strict instructions, he directed all DFOs and other officials to clear pending files within 15 days. He told them to go in the field, understand the problems of their respective areas and resolve them in a time-bound manner.
Stressing the need to renovate and upgrade the Sultanpur National Park near Gurugram, the minister told the department officials to chalk out a detailed plan to introduce new facilities in the park so that the tourist footfall can be increased, adding that responsibility needed to be fixed at the department level for the upgrade and upkeep of the Sultanpur National Park.
The minister told the officials to especially focus on the maintenance and upgrade of nurseries in the state. He said there should be no discrimination with any area when it comes to issuing permissions and NOCs for tree felling and other works.
Rao Narbir Singh told department officials to identify sites in mountains where embankments can be constructed to stop rainwater from flowing and storing it for better use.
He said steps have to be taken to promote eco-tourism in the state so that common people choose Haryana for vacationing and sightseeing.
He directed the officers of the department to plant 22 lakh saplings on the occasion of Van Mahotsav in the state, in which 1 lakh saplings would be planted in each of the 22 districts and these should be looked after for four years till they take roots.
He said Kabuli Kikar is a big problem. Many times, it also causes accidents on both sides of the road, therefore the concerned DFO will have to ensure pruning of at least 10 percent of Kabuli Kikar trees every year and new shady trees will have to be planted in its place. The minister also stressed on involving NGOs in afforestation work and using modern techniques to protect saplings from attack by stray animals.The minister was informed in the meeting that the total tree cover in the state is around 7.75 percent.
The department ensured sustainable management of forests and management of protected areas like natural parks, wildlife sanctuaries, Ramsar sites and community reserves.
It is also establishing herbal parks, nurseries, Oxy-vans and agro-forests across the state. Schemes like Green India Mission and Paudhagiri scheme are being run to promote afforestation and environmental protection.
The minister told the officials to ensure more efficiency in work and achieve the target of having 10 percent tree cover in the state.
Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests & Wildlife, Anand Mohan Sharan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jagdish Chander, Divisional Forest Officers and other officials were present in the meeting.
