Social Forestry Deptt holds one day training cum interaction session for PRIs

Jammu | :Carrying forward its campaign under “J&K Green Drive” and “Har Gaon Haryali”, Social Forestry Department, in collaboration with District Development Council, Jammu organized a day long Training Cum Interaction Session for PRIs, here at Nagrota Village.
The event was attended by DDC/BDC members and more than 30 Village Panchayats (Plantation) Committees of Jammu & Samba Districts.
A plantation drive was conducted wherein members of PRIs, School Children, NGOs & Eco Club volunteers, NCC Cadets and a large number of local people participated.
The programme started with a 3 KM Green March and more than 250 participants passed through different areas of Nagrota Panchayat followed by plantation and an interaction session.
Members of VPPCs, BDC and DDCs expressed their views one by one and gave useful suggestions for giving further momentum to the plantation drives launched by the Social Forestry Department.
Members were highly appreciative of the policies & efforts of J&K Government to actively involve communities through PRIs in developmental works including plantations. Many Panchayat members expressed their keen desire to spare sizable parcels of Panchayat/Village Common lands for establishing Village Woodlots (VWLs) as these would act as assets of Panchayats and yield benefits in the form of fodder/grasses, fuelwood and small timber, besides source of revenue for Gram Panchayats.
PCCF/Director, Social Forestry Department, J&K Roshan Jaggi while speaking on this occasion informed that department is receiving very good cooperation from village Panchayats, BDC and DDC representatives who are actively getting involved in plantation drives. So far plantation of more than six lakh saplings has been done and by March, end total of 22 lakh saplings shall be planted across 20 districts of UT. In addition more than two lakh saplings shall be planted through voluntary plantation drives involving various stakeholders in “ Har Gaon Haryali” and “ J&K Green Drive” programmes.
The Social Forestry Department is laying emphasis in providing hybrid clonal plants to farmers from its modern Nurseries, so that farmer’s income can be supplemented and sustained supply of raw material to wood-based industries could be maintained. Mr. Jaggi, further disclosed.
Department is organizing such programmes with multiple activities in all districts of Kashmir and Jammu region to give impetus to the J & K Green Drive initiative with active participation of local communities. The Department has appealed to people in general and farmers in particular to avail supply of plants from departmental nurseries to take up Agro forestry activities on their lands.
Social Forestry Department is also involving 75 schools in Kashmir & 75 schools in Jammu region in afforestation and awareness activities in collaboration with the Education Department to celebrate “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” in J&K. The students being important stakeholders in the sustainable development process are getting involved actively and their adequate sensitization would go a long way in achieving the long-term objectives of the programme, an official handout said.
Field staff and officers of the Social Forestry Department during the interaction cum training session explained various aspects of mutual cooperation between Department & PRIs essential to strengthen the working relationship.
Senior officers of Social Forestry, Education Department and representatives of NGOs involved in environmental related activities also participated in the day-long programme.