Calls for scientific conservation plan to save green gold
JAMMU – The Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Tuesday stressed for formulation of scientific working plan to save the green gold in the state.
The Committee, which met under the Chairmanship of MLA Mr. Rafi Ahmad Mir here today, discussed in detail the working of forest department and its allied wings, besides audit paras. The panel directed the forest department to upgrade the surveillance and conduct surprise checks to curb menace of timber smuggling. It also directed to clear the long pending timber sanctions so that the consumers may not suffer on this account.
The Committee sought detailed report about the extraction of timber both fallen and dry district wise for last 3 years from Forest department and State Forest Corporation (SFC) for its scrutiny. The panel also sought details about the persons engaged in district Anantnag in the Wild Life department from 2007.
Legislators, Mr. Vijay Bakaya, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Syed Bhasharat Ahmad Bukhari, Mr. Tsetant Namgyal, Mr. Sukhnandan, Mrs. Indu Pawar and Mrs. Bimla Luthura gave their valuable suggestions for over all preservation, protection and conservation of the forests.
Reviewing the Conservation, Protection and Development project for Wullar Lake, the OSD Wullar Lake Development Authority, gave a brief account of the proposed working plan. He said demarcation work has been completed and as per the project report 22 lakh trees are to be removed from Wullar Lake.
While discussing audit para, the Committee was not satisfied with the reply and raised certain quarries and directed the department to come up with the satisfactory reply in its next meeting.
Among others, Commissioner/Secretary, Forest Sheikh Eijaz Iqbal, Deputy Accountants General, J&K A. G. Office, Mr.Jagan Lal, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mr. Vinod Ranjan, Director General Accounts and Treasuries Mr. Ravi Mangotra, Chairman, Pollution Control Board Mr. Lal Chand, Chief Wild Life Warden Mr. A. K. Singh, Managing Director, SFC Mr. Abhay Kumar, Chief Conservator of forests, Jammu/ Kashmir, Director Social Forestry and other officers, besides senior officers from Assembly Secretariat, including Deputy Secretary Mr. B. L. Koul also attended the meeting.
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