Government would be investing Rs. 123 crore on various of various forestry activities

On the Ocassion of 61st State Level Van Mahotsava Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal planted a sapling of Terminalia Belerica (Bheda) on Monday at at Tatahan village in Dehra sub Division of Kangra district, he declared that the Government would be investing Rs. 123 crore on various of various forestry activities during current financial year.Chief Minister cautioned the people against the changing climatic and global warming conditions which was posing a grave threat for the sustenance of all living beings. He said that the State had launched ‘Saanjha Van – Sanjeevani Van’, ‘Apna Van Apna Dhan’, ‘Peepal Bargad’ etc plantation campaigns and appealed to the people to join the campaign to give boost to afforestation activities in their area. He said that the State Government had launched ‘pandit Deen Dayal Kisaan Baagwan Samridhi Yojna’ which had brought sea change in the economic activities of the farmers. He said that the scheme had unique components of availing of upto 80 percent subsidy while the bamboo based poly houses by BPL families would entitle them for upto 90 percent subsidy. He said that the state Government had entered into an MOU with the Patanjli Yog Peeth which had agreed to buy entire herbal produce of the state to manufacture ayurvedic medicines.



Prof. Dhumal said that the State had successfully implemented Rs. 365 croreMid Himalayan water Shed Development Projectwhich had benefitted 602 gram panchayats of 10 developmental blocks of 10 districts of the State and the achievements had been lauded by World Bank as well. He said that all 393 saw mills banned in the State had been made operational which had benefitted people of the state immensely. He said that ban on ‘Khair’ had also been lifted people. He said that additionally ban on felling of trees on private land had also been lifted. He added that with the rationalization of the Wild LIfe Sanctuaries 1.12 lakh population would be benefitted while 767 villages would be taken out of 17 wild life sanctuaries which would not only benefit the local population but also add 1,117 square kms. of forest area under Protected Area Network of the State.

Chief Minister said that the State Government was consistently working on resolving the monkey menace. He said that monkey seterlization centres had been opened at Tutikandi in Shimla, Sastar, Gopalpur where over 17 thousand monkey had been sterlized. He said that soon similar centre would be set up in district Una as well. He said that forest was being associated with eco-tourism promotion activities so that nature lovers were acquainted with the natural flora and fauna of the State. He said that eco-tourism would add to the income of the rural masses while the tourism activities would get boosted up involving entire state in the activity. He appealed to the people to save forests and plant maximum of trees on barren land so that the same was utilized for bonafide purposes.



Prof. Dhumal said that a number of national level institutions had been opened in district Kangra which included Central University, National Institute of Fashion Technology, CRPF Battalion, Polytechnics etc.. He said that a sprawling Central University campus would be developed in Dehra which would give new dimensions to development and economic activities in the area. He said that the State was committed for uniform and balanced development of the State and every area was being provided liberal funds and developmental projects without any considerations.



Chief Minister paid his floral tribute Vijay Divas to the martyrs of Kargil Operation to mark celebration of and said that the supreme sacrifice made by them would not go waste and they would continue to be the source of inspiration to the entire nation for generations to come. He said that the nation had passed through varius upheavals after independence due to wars for 1962, 1965 and 1971. He said that it was for the first time in 1971 when about 93 thousand soldiers were taken as prisoners of war in Bangladesh War creating a new country Bangladesh which earlier was known as East Pakistan. He said that the 1999 Kargil Operation was launched to flush out infiltrators from the Kargil hills which was successfully accomplished by the Indian soldiers and border land evacuated of foreign infiltrators. He said that he had personally visited Kargil in July, 1999, to boost morale of the soldiers who were fighting for the cause of the nation.

Prof. Dhumal said that Himachal Pradesh had made supreme sacrifice as maximum of 52 young people had attained martyrdom during the Operation and he had personally visited every aggrieved family in the State to share their grief.
CM announced Rs. 5 lakh for the additional accommodation in GSSS Bankhandi.

Two minutes silence was observed to pay tribute to the martyrs of Operation Vijay in Kargil.

CM was also presented a draft of Rs. 50,000 as contribution towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund by the Hamirpur Forest Circle on the occasion.

CM also listened to the public grievances at the venue of public meeting and passed necessary directions to concerned authorities to take required steps to deliver relief to the aggrieved parties.

Earlier CM paid floral tribute at the statue of Martyr Bhuvnesh Katoch, on his arrival at Dehra to mark the celebration of Kargil Divas celebration in the State.

Shri Ramesh Dhwala, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister and local MLA, also welcomed the Chief Minister to his home segment and thanked him for celebrating State Level Van Mahotsava. He cautioned people against decreasing rain fall and change in the season cycle which was resulting into global warming and degradation of environment. He appealed to the people to join plantation campaign and use barren land for plantation of herbal trees. He underlined the need for rain water harvesting and revival of traditional water bodies in rural areas. He thanked CM for providing land for Central University in Dehra which was bound to prove a milestone in quality education in the State. Vikram Thakur, former MLA and Vice Chairman, HP State Forest Corporation, also welcomed the CM and appealed to the people in general to actively involve themselves in Van Mahotsava and other similar plantation campaigns launched from time to time all over the State. He thanked CM for providing land for setting up of Central University in Dehra and for providing liberal funds for various developmental activities in Dehra area. He apprised CM of various developmental demands of the local people.

Dr. Vinay Tandon, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries and thanked them for their active participation in the State Level Van Mahotsav Celebration. He said that according to the Forest Survey of India’s latest report the state had registered about 200 hectares of forest cover increase. He said that Green Himachal had resulted into obtaining of Green Bonus by the Government of India. He said that 66.5 percent was the forest area in the state compared to the mandatory requirement of 33 percent as per the Forest Conservation Act of the State. He assured the Chief Minister that all out effort was being made to increase the forest cover in the State to make Himachal Pradesh Carbon Neutral state of the country in coming time. He informed that simultaneous plantation campaign had been launched in all the assembly segment of the State to mark the Van Mahotsava with people.

Shri Sanjay Sood, Conservator of Forests proposed vote of thanks.





A variety cultural programme was also presented to mark the Kargil Divas and State Level Van Mahotsava celebration by different cultural troupes.







Shri Ravinder Ravi, IPH Minister, Shri Kishan Kapoor, Industries Minister, Shri Kripal Parmar, former MP, Shri Vidya Sagar, Shri Naveen Dhiman, former MLAs, Shri Trilok Kapoor, Chairman, Woolfed, Shri Des Raj Bagi, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Shri R.S.Gupta, DC, Dr. Atul Fulzele, SP, Shri A.K.Gulati, PCCF Wild LIfe, Shri A.K.Kapoor, Additional PCCF, Shri Sonam Negi, Chief Engineer, PWD, Shri A.C.Sharma, Executive Director, HP State Forest Corporation, Smt. Amro Devi, Pradhan, Gram panchayat Bankhandi, other prominent people of the area and senior officers of various departments were present on the occasion.

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