Div Com (J) kick starts J&K Green drive in Jmu, Plantation drive launched in all distts

Jammu: Massive plantation drives were launched across districts of Jammu Division Monday to mark Green J&K initiative/ VanMohotsava- an initiative towards developing the ecology of the state in a more beneficial way.
School children, employees and civil society members participated in the plantation drives held in each district.
The celebration kick started with inauguration of the drive by Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma in presence of Chief Conservator of Forests Sameer Bharti, here in Fund office at Muthi.
The Forest Department has set a target of planting 50 lakh plants in J&K during 2019-20 as envisioned by SAC. Concurrently, plantation activities at district levels are being organized by Divisional Forest officers at district level involving Administrative Department, various institutions, Panchayats, Defence Forces, Schools, Colleges etc.
On the first day of the plantation drive, more than 1000 plants of different indigenous and drought hardy species like Arjun, Jacaranda, Silver Oak, Camphor, Pine, Chinar, Amrood etc. were planted and distributed to improve local green cover and restore micro-eco-system balance.
Speaking on the occasion, Divisional Commissioner, emphasised on the importance extending green cover on wasteland, community land, institutions and roadside, to beautify as well as enhance tree cover. Equal importance was stressed on survival of planted saplings and their adoption by local beneficiaries’ and employees of concerned institutions apart from informing the participants about the necessity of harnessing green resources such as solar energy, rain / roof water harvesting for minimizing the carbon footprint and to improve depleting ground water level.
At Udhampur: A massive plantation drive was conducted in Udhampur in collaboration with Udhampur Municipal Council with the plantation of Pongamia Pinnata (Sukhchain), Callistemon Sps. (Bottle Brush), Cestrum nocturnum (Raat-Ki-Rani), Tabernaemontana divaricata (Chandani), Cassia glauca etc in Municipal Park Sailan Talab.
At Samba: A large number of children, adults and elders took part in a massive plantation drive held across the district Samba. Saplings of twenty five plants of traditional species of trees were planted at Apni Mandi Tapyal in collaboration with Forest Division Samba and AGMO Office Samba.
The plantation drive was attended by about fifty school going children, DFO Abhinav, AGMO Anuj Verma, Range Officer Vijay Verma , HDO Gaghwal Dheeraj Sharma and prominent citizens
At Kathua: Social Forestry Division Kathua organized the drive in the premises of the Govt. Degree College for Women in which Deputy Commissioner, Dr Raghav Langer was the chief guest.
During the program Dr Langer emphasised on the importance of
The function started with the ceremonial planting of a Chinar tree sapling by the Deputy Commissioner and later about 500 saplings of Ornamentals, Medicinal, Fruit bearing, Shade bearing, Timber yielding species of Peepal, Amla, Arjun, Alstonia, Neem, Toonu and Bottle brush were planted in the GDC for Women, Govt. Primary School Narayanpur and Govt. High School Rajbagh.
At Rajouri: A plantation drive to mark Green J&K initiative/ VanMohotsava was launched by district Social Forestry Division here in the Cantonment area of Army.
Saplings of Amla, Amaltas, Panchteera, Jacaranda, Amrud, Kinnow, Silver Oak and Alastonia were planted to tide over the environmental degradation and increasing the Tree cover outside the conventional forests. Similar drives were held by the district administrations of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban Reasi and Poonch.