RAJOURI: Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Sanjeev Verma, today conducted a day long tour of border areas of Rajouri district and took stock of progress on various development projects being executed there.
Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Vikas Kundal; Regional Director Social Forestry, Mohinder Kumar; Regional Director Soil Conservator, Abhijeet Joshi; Conservator, Vivek Verma; Additional Deputy Commissioner Nowshera, Sukhdev Singh Samyal; Divisional Forest Officers Rajouri and Nowshera; DFO SF; Tehsildar Qila Darhal and other district officers accompanied the Commissioner Secretary during his visit.
Commissioner Secretary inspected construction work on 4 km Kampla to Pukharni road, 10 meter span culvert at Haji Shabir Mohalla Laroka, staff quarter at Health and Wellness centre in Laroka and forest nurseries at Rajpur Kamila.
Commissioner Secretary asked the concerned officers to ensure timely and quality completion of all development projects being executed in the district.
Commissioner Secretary also visited the revered Shrine of Veervadeshwar where he prayed for peace, prosperity and progress of the region. He also kick started a plantation drive by planting a sapling of Bargat, Bel and Peepal at the shrine under Har Gaon Hariyali.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanjeev Verma said that the green drive initiative will increase the forest cover of the district and will also prove helpful in mitigating the ill effects of climate change and global warming. He appealed the public to participate in the plantation drives to help maintain green environment in the entire district.
At Lam, Commissioner Secretary interacted with the PRIs, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Village Forest Committee (VFC) to take stock of their issues and concerns.
The PRIs highlighted several issues and demands of their respective areas including better road connectivity, up-gradation of water and power infrastructure, adequate staff in educational and health institutions, allocation of sufficient funds under BADP, worn out water pipes, repairing of old hand pumps, sanctioning of a JK Bank branch and an ATM, construction of an Ecotourism park at Qila Darhal, erection of BSNL tower besides other important matters.
Commissioner Secretary gave a patient hearing to the issues and demands projected on the occasion and assured that all their genuine concerns would be redressed on priority.
Underlining the role of the Forest Right Act in safeguarding the rights of the forest dwellers, he stated that the Act not only confers rights to them but also makes them partners in the forest development process as the forests can’t be conserved and developed without the community participation.
Regarding conservation and preservation of water bodies, Commissioner Secretary said that the government is making strenuous efforts in this regard and appealed the public to ensure judicious use of these invaluable gifts of nature.
Commissioner Secretary also interacted with the Women Self Help Groups and assessed their issues and concerns for redressal.
Commissioner Secretary also called for generating mass awareness among the public about the role of SHGs and ensuring maximum coverage of women under the scheme to make them self-reliant.
Later, he distributed solar lamps among the households of VFC Androoth of Nowshera Forest Division under livelihood mission of Green India Mission. He also gave away plantation kits to VFC members of Darhal and Thanamandi under Har Gaon Hariyali.
