Amid growing environmental concerns, the Himachal Pradesh government is working on a detailed plan to increase its forest cover from the current 29. 5% to 31% by 2030. During a review meeting with the forest department in Shimla on Monday, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu directed the department to prepare a comprehensive roadmap through careful and sustainable planning to increase the forest cover of the state, which is currently 29.
5%. The Chief Minister said that global warming has emerged as a major challenge across the world and its ill effects are clearly visible. “Keeping this in mind, the state government is giving high priority to environment conservation.
About 16,376 square kilometers of area in Himachal is snow covered, barren or hilly, where plantation is not possible. Therefore, the forest department should identify potential areas suitable for plantation in each district and prepare a phased plantation plan accordingly,” he said, adding that the focus should be on planting of native species, fruit bearing plants and plants with medicinal importance.
Engaging the local communities, Mr. Sukhu emphasized that the department should not only focus on planting new forests, but also needed to protect the already existing forests. He stressed the importance of actively involving local people and communities in these efforts.
“To promote community participation in forest plantation and conservation in the State, the Government has launched a scheme – ‘Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana’. Under this, plantation was done in 924. 9 hectares during the last year.
A total of 285 Mahila Mandals, 70 Yuvak Mandals, 59 Self-Help Groups and 13 community-based organizations actively contributed to this initiative. He said that under the scheme, the State Government would provide funds for plantation Providing financial assistance of ₹2. 40 lakh to these groups, with annual incentives linked to the survival rate of plantations, the scheme has received an encouraging response from the target groups,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that under the scheme, a target has been set to plant trees in 5,000 hectare area in the next financial year.