Ranchi: Chief Minister Hemant Soren has directed the officials to take steps to prevent encroachment in the capital and its surrounding hills and also asked to take a major plantation drive along the banks of Hatmu and Swarnarekha rivers.
Chairing the review meeting over the functioning of the forest and environment department he asked to plant medium size plants in the capital. The Chief Minister said that for the expansion of forest cover apart from the forests in nonforest areas also plantation drive should be undertaken. He asked the officials to convert open forests into moderate and moderate forests into dense. He suggested expanding dense forest cover in Deoghar, Pakur, Dumka and Dhanbad districts.
He asked the department to take steps to increase the number of nurseries in the state. He said that at present 108 nurseries are being run by the forest department and there should be a target to develop a nursery at the block level and it should be spread over an area of five acres. In this nurseries such plants should be kept which are important for the farmers he said adding that awareness should be spread among the people regarding the nurseries so that people can come and buy plants and trees of their choice.
The Chief Minister said that forest produce is an important source for income for the tribal population therefore trees of Kusum and Palash should be planted which can increase lac production.
The Chief Minister said that on the roadside trees bearing fruits and those providing shade should be planted and a list should be prepared of the trees which will be more beneficial. Further, he also suggested to undertake geo-mapping of forests.
The Chief Minister said that there were tremendous opportunities in the area of forest tourism therefore such areas should be identified and developed and in areas having tourism potential local youths should be kept as guides as this will also increase employment opportunities.