Srinagar Aug 26: Taking forests to new heights, the Jammu and Kashmir government has planted 162 lakh trees in 2022-2023, which is a threefold increase from 2018-2019.
According to official figures available with Morning Kashmir, 57.8 lakh trees were planted during 2018-2019 while 162 lakh trees were planted during 2022-2023 which is a threefold increase for the last four years.
The documents reveal that the government has been making the afforestation a people’s movement through the active involvement of PRIs and ULB representatives, police, para-military, armed forces, school and college students, NGOs, eco-clubs and citizens.
Similarly, the cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs used in the treatment and management of several diseases, including diabetes mellitus, and heart and neurological disorders, has begun in Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is being done as a part of a pioneering Rs 750 crore project envisaging total transformation in the 625 hectares of the landscape of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) cultivation in the Union Territory,” a senior official said.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir launched this remarkable initiative in consonance with the vision of ‘Green Jammu and Kashmir’ to ensure sustainable development and promote climate justice across J&K. The Green Jammu and Kashmir drive itself is in consonance with the National Forest Policy 1988 and the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Policy 2011 which envisages afforestation on all degraded and denuded lands in J&K within and outside forests.
The aim of the department is to bring two-third geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir under the forest and tree cover, he said.
In addition, the department is organizing such programs with multiple activities in all districts of Jammu and Kashmir to provide impetus to the Green J&K drive initiative with the participation of local communities.
The department has apprised the people in general and farmers, in particular, to avail the supply of plants from departmental nurseries to take up agro-forestry activities on their lands.
A senior official of the Forest Department said the government has also taken an initiative to celebrate the birth of a girl by linking it with environmental conservation at the same time.
“We have launched a programme ‘one girl child one plant’ under which a sapling will be planted by a family, which gives birth to a girl child,” the official said.
The trees planted under this programme will include poplars, conifers, and other fruit-producing trees. “The families can plant the trees in the village land, orchard, or a boundary near the house. The sale proceeds from the trees will go into fixed deposits. Once the female attains the marriageable age, the same money can be used through various girl-child schemes,” the official added.
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