14,345 hectares forest land under encroachment in J-K: Govt

Jammu and Kashmir government today said that 14,345 hectares of forest land has been encroached in the state.
Minister for Forest Choudhary Lal Singh today said the innovative measures initiated by the government would take forest and its allied wings to new heights and it will also help in increasing forest cover and conserving the ecology of the state.
He said over 2801.23 hectares of forest land has been retrieved during nearly three years, he added.
Winding up the discussion in the Legislative Assembly on Demands for Grants of Forest Department, including Ecology, Environment and Pollution Control Board, the Minister said several measures have been taken to make functioning of the department accountable, transparent and result-oriented.

Enumerating the initiatives launched by the Government, the Minister said department has embarked on many new programmes, including establishment of hi-tech nurseries and upgradation of existing nurseries for production of quality planting stocks with a vision of raising 15 crore saplings annually.
He said DPR for beautification of National Highway (NH1-A/), railway line through plantations, creation of green corridors,plantation around Ranjit Sagar, Baglihar Dams and other water bodies have also been formulated.

He also informed the House that promotion of rotational grazing and eco-tourism, nature tourism is a priority for the Government.
Singh said the government won't allow breach of the forest rights of tribal communities and called for active contribution of such communities in conservation of forests.

He said plantation of fruit trees in forest would reduce man-animal conflict.
Giving details about the forest land encroachment, Singh said that Government has devised a plan for fencing the forest areas.
According to Working Plan, Jammu and Kashmir has 20,230
km forest area, covering state's 19.95 per cent geographical area.
The department has taken strict measures to remove encroachment from the forests.
In addition, Forest Department has also retrieved 2903.65 hectares unrecorded/freshly encroached land across Jammu region and 205 hectares in Jammu city and its outskirts, in last 2 years, said Forest Minister Choudhary Lal Singh.
The Minister informed a Draft Policy for Chief Minister's participatory forest development has been submitted to the administrative department for the approval.

The draft policy aims at carrying out afforestation and other forest development works in the forest fringe areas with the active involvement of the local people.
On the promotion of eco-Tourism, the Minister said Government aims to promote tourism in the areas having natural beauty without disturbing the environment and ecological balance of the area.
Since, many sites of tourism interest fall in forests, undertaking eco-tourism activities in such areas will provide livelihood opportunities to the locals besides, ensuring minimum or no disturbance to the forest eco-systems.
The sites include Bangus Valley, Bojpathri, Tosamaidan, Daksum, Pahalgam, Warwan, Sukrala and Machedi (Billawar).