SRINAGAR: Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment, Javed Ahmed Rana, today inaugurated the newly constructed Officer’s Block at Deers Headquarters in Bemina, marking a significant step towards enhancing the department’s infrastructure and operational efficiency.
The ceremony was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Ecology & Environment, Sheetal Nanda, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Suresh Kumar Gupta and other senior officers.
The building has been constructed by PWD/R&B Division Srinagar with an expenditure amounting Rs 128.019 lakh.
During the inauguration, the Minister emphasized that the new facility would streamline administrative operations and provide a modern and efficient work environment for officers.
He highlighted Omar Abdullah- led Government’s commitment towards improving the infrastructure, leading to better conservation and management of forests.
The Minister appreciated the Deers HQ for setting up an office suited to current times besides improving the overall administrative efficiency of the department.
Later, the Minister reviewed the functioning of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing and inspected the Geographical Information System (GIS) lab.
Rana underscored the importance of GIS in leveraging technology for efficient and precise tracking and management of forest resources. He noted that GIS plays a crucial role in safeguarding J&K’s rich biodiversity and fostering sustainable development.
The GIS system captures and analyzes a range of geographical data to help departments and organizations make long-term plans regarding biodiversity richness, flood-prone areas, climate change issues and forest fire-prone areas.
The Minister was briefed about the department’s working including the completed and ongoing projects besides the future expansion plans. He appreciated the department’s performance on some of the pressing issues related to ecology and environment.
The officers also highlighted their issues and concerns hampering department’s functioning and sought Minister’s intervention in redress of the same.
