J&K govt calls for measures to curb forest land encroachment

Jammu and Kashmir government today called for fencing of retrieved forest land and its uploading on the Global Positioning System (GPS) to prevent chances of encroachment in future.
"The fencing work should be taken immediately on all retrieved forest lands and its demarcation and uploading on the Global Positioning System (GPS). It will prevent chances of encroachment in future," Forest minister Bali Bhagat said chairing a meeting of officers convened to review the functioning of forest department of Kashmir Division here.
He called for concerted efforts to bring more land under forests in the State besides launching measures to protect and conserve the precious green gold.

"The officers need to take steps to retrieve the forest land wherever it has been encroached," Bhagat said.
He said the forest guards of the department would be imparted one week training to further improve their efficacy.
The Minister also stressed on identifying four areas for producing medicinal plants in Kashmir besides directing clearing the pending compensation cases within one month.

Bhagat called for devising a well-knit strategy to strengthen the intelligence network to identify forest encroachers, persons involved in green tree felling, timber and other minor forest produce smugglers so that they could be booked under law.
Earlier, Chief Conservator of Forest, Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Darzi while giving a power point presentation on the activities of the department, said the department has realized an amount of Rs 2.89 crore during the last eight months.

The department has seized 12628 cfts timber, 42 vehicles, 81 horses and two boats during the current year, he said adding an amount of Rs 4.920 lakh has been realised against the confiscated timber up to last month.
As many as 155.45 Ha forest land has been categorised in 12 divisions of the Valley, he said.
He said the department would plant 13.56 lakh plants over 1045 hectares of forest land in 56 compartments under CAMPA this year.