Felling of trees will be banned in Haryana for five years so as to increase the forest cover.
Chandigarh, Sept 27 – Felling of trees will be banned in Haryana for five years so as to increase the forest cover. However, those trees that have withered or are required to be removed because of a development project would be allowed only after seeking approval of the concerned authorities.
This was stated by Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Forests, Mr. R.R. Jowel who was presiding over a review meeting of the Department here today.
It was informed in the meeting that as a part of the Swarna Jayanti projects, a City Forest would be developed at Murthal over an area of 116 acres and a workshop of antique furniture items would be set up at the plots of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) in Bawal.
Mr Jowel directed that trees should be planted along all National and State Highways, District and village roads without any further delay. He asked the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Dr. Amrinder Kaur to identify and purchase land under the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) head to increase green cover in the state.
Mr. Jowel directed that all the pending cases under Forest Conservation Act, 1980 should be taken up on priority basis and same should be settled without any further delay. He said that the already constituted State Level Committee should immediately assess the availability of wood and accordingly submit the report to take decision on issuance of more licenses to wood based industries. He emphasized the need to develop dense linear forest patches which were envisaged in the Swarna Jayanti celebrations of the state.
The Additional Chief Secretary directed to maintain transparency and make payments to the labourers by adopting Direct Benefit Transfers scheme. He warned all the forest officers that defying or non compliance of these orders would be viewed seriously and such officers would be charge sheeted.
In the meeting, Managing Director, Haryana Forest Development Corporation, Mr. Gulshan Ahuja and other senior officers of the department made power point presentation of the works being carried out by them.