In charges of J&K forests made millions: Governor

Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Satya Pal Malik, on Monday alleged that those in charge of the state’s forests “have made millions” through dubious means.  He asserted that his administration won’t spare anyone who indulged in corrupt practices.

“There is no vendetta (against anyone). In its natural course, the way Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is working now, we won’t let go big fishes. No one will be spared – whether he belongs to any party or however big he is. No one is big before the law. I am here. I am not going anywhere,” Malik told reporters after starting a plantation drive at Zabarwan hills here.

   

The Governor said that “several people, who worked in theForest Department in the state, accumulated millions of rupees by destroying forests.”

“See the bungalows in VasantVihar or Maharani Bagh inDelhi of those who worked in the Forest Department. I know several families whohave made millions as they had the charge of Forest Department. The forests ofJammu and Kashmir have been destroyed painfully. They are our lungs and we arealive because of them,” he said.

The Governor Malik said the people of Kashmir were by andlarge very good, but there had been a betrayal with them. “There has beena betrayal with them. They were not shown the right path and were not told thereality. If we all together take it towards the right path, then Kashmir willbecome the best state of the country,” he said.

Launches “Green J&K Drive”; 50 lakh trees to be plantedby June, 2020

Earlier Governor Malik launched the “Green J&K Drive” atan impressive function organized by the Forest Department at Zabarwan Hillshere, an official spokesman said.

Governor’s Advisors, K Vijay Kumar, K K Sharma, K Skandan,Director General of Forests, Government of India, Siddhanta Das, ChiefSecretary B V R Subrahmanyam, Financial Commissioner to Governor,UmangNarula,  Principal Chief Conservatorof Forests, Suresh Chugh, Chief Conservator of Forests, Farooq Ahmad Gillani,Divisional Commissioner  Kashmir,  Baseer Khan, Deputy CommissionerSrinagar,  DrShahid Iqbal Choudhary andother dignitaries were present  on theoccasion.

Governor, along with other dignitaries, planted the saplingsto mark the beginning of a massive afforestation drive in the State.

The Governor observed that Green Jammu and Kashmir drive hasbeen launched under a major environment-friendly initiative of planting 50 lakhtrees in the State by June 2020.

The Governor said that the extensive plantation driveundertaken by the Forest Department and its allied wings by involvingPanchayats, Civil Society and other stakeholders to plant trees alongside roads, railway lines, rivers, streams, canals , over degraded forest land, areasretrieved from encroachment, and institutional areas etc will go a long way topreserve and further enhance the rich forest wealth of the state.

The Governor observed that in the initial stage, 9 lakhplants of various indigenous species will be planted over the identifiedearmarked areas during monsoon season in Jammu region to be followed byplantation in Kashmir during November-December and thereafter in March-April toachieve the target of 50 lakh trees by June, 2020.

He added that the farm forestry and agro-forestry will bepromoted by providing quality growing stock and other technical inputs tofarmers and developing market linkages for proper sale of their produce.

Farooq Ahmad Gillani, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmirpresented the welcome address and Suresh Chugh, Principal Chief Conservator ofForests gave the vote of thanks.

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