During this year, as many as 1.30 crore saplings are proposed to be planted across the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched “Green J&K Drive-2021” from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu on Friday. He planted a ‘cupressus’ sapling in the IIT Campus to mark the launch of this mega plantation drive.
The Green J&K Drive initiative is in consonance with the National Forest Policy, 1988, and the JK Forest Policy, 2011.
The Lt Governor observed that the this drive aims at creating a people’s movement at a massive scale with the involvement of all stakeholders, particularly panchayats, women, students, Urban Local Bodies, institutions, NGOs, and civil society.
“We aim to bring two-third of the geographical area of J&K under the forest and tree cover. The forest and tree cover in Jammu and Kashmir is about 55%, which is substantially higher than the national average of 24.56%. It is a matter of pride for us that while the present circumstances are posing a difficult challenge to the people at many places, the government machinery and the people of Jammu and Kashmir are discharging their responsibility towards the coming generation by preserving and strengthening our natural wealth,” said Sinha.
The Lt Governor underlined the importance of taking science and ecology together on the path of development.
“It is vital to ensure a balance between development and conservation of our environment. There has never been a more urgent need to revive ecology than today,” remarked Sinha.