J-K forest dept to launch massive plantation drive:Bali Bhagat

Jammu and Kashmir government today said that it will soon launch a massive afforestation dive in the state under which more than one crore trees would be planted in areas which have witnessed large scale deforestation.
"The government has chalked out a comprehensive plan to rejuvenate the degraded forests across the state," state Forest Minister Bali Bhagat said while addressing a day-long seminar here.
"A massive plantation drive would be launched shortly with the active support of local people and several other stakeholders under Public Private Partnership," he said.
The Forest Department has developed over 150 nurseries across the state which have over one crore saplings that would be planted in the 'degraded areas', he said.

"The plantation drive would be a regular feature and the department has already identified the worst affected areas," Bhagat said.
The minister said that environment and climate change were among the biggest challenges concerning the world and efforts are being made by individual countries to effectively deal with this hazard.
It is not an issue to be handled by one country, but the entire world has to collectively make a resolve to address it by putting an effective mechanism in place, Bhagat said.
He called upon the experts and scholars to come out with concrete suggestions which can help in rejuvenating the environment and reverse the effects of climate change.