Forest dept should give emphasis on people livelihood

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that Van Panchayats that are doing good work under Uttarakhand Forest Resource management project should be honoured at the district and state level. He expressed these view while reviewing a meeting of the Forest Department at the Secretariat on Saturday.

Rawat said that under the Uttarakhand Forest Resource management, stress should be laid on improving livelihood of the people locally in the forest panchayats, on the treatment of the landslides in forested areas and capacity building of the Van panchayats.

CM said that 750 Van panchayats that have been selected under the Uttarakhand Forest Resource management project, activities such as water conservation, plantation of better quality of fruit bearing trees, fodder species, medicinal trees should be promoted. The saplings which are being provided to these Van panchayats should be of fruit bearing trees, fodder and medicinal plants. To provide water for these trees, rain-water harvesting should be done.

For conserving water in traditional ways, the ‘Chal-Khals’ should be conserved and check dams and ponds should be constructed.

CM said that spice farming, plantation and aromatic farming should be taken up according to the geographical situation in different parts of the state so that Van Panchayats can earn economically and bring improvement in the livelihood of the people. Rejuvenation of the drinking water sources should also be taken up under Van Panchayats and all the works should be geo tagged respectively. All the departments should coordinate with each other to make the project a success.

A work plan should be made for forest, water and soil conservation and for rejuvenating the drying water resources under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). More emphasis should be on linking local people with employment through plantation, water conservation and related works under CAMPA.

Forest Minister Dr. Harak Singh Rawat, Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Ranveer Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Om Prakash, PPCF Jairaj, Secretary Arvind Singh Hyanki, Additional Secretary Dr. MS Bisht and other forest officials were present on the occasion.