CM Himanta calls for a larger role by Forest Department to reclaim green cover

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma openly frowned at a few works of the Forest Department and asked the department to exercise zero tolerance for encroachment of forest land.

The Chief Minister said this during the launching of the Chief Minister's Institutional Plantation Programme (CMIPP) by planting a sapling at the Janata Bhawan premises here today.

The Chief Minister said, "The Forest department should not be lenient towards the encroachers of forest lands. If we cannot preserve our forest areas, how can we keep the identity of the state intact? As students, we read Assam is a state full of greenery. If such rampant deforestation goes on, our identity will be at stake. Dismantle all the illegal sawmills in the state."

He said, "Those who have been staying in the forest since before 2005 have some rights under the Forest Rights Act, but we need to talk to them about giving them land. They should help the government in re-plantation. Mainly deforestation leads to natural calamities. Had there been forest cover in Guwahati, the plight of Anil Nagar would not have been this."

He also said, "During the last government when Sarbananda Sonowal was the Chief Minister we went to the Kaziranga. We did a function over a plantation drive. On my way back to Guwahati, I told the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal that no forest officer might pursue the plantation programme later. And that came true. In the past four years, nobody took any interest. I was called for this plantation drive. I will inquire about the progress of this drive after a year. I need to see trees on either side of the National Highway from Srirampur to Sadia. Six months back, I told the Forest Department to conduct a survey with drones to know the number of people residing on forest land and new people there. Six months have elapsed. I have not got any report on that."

At the initiative of the Science, Technology and Climate Change Department of the Government of Assam, the CMIPP launched today will continue till 15th August 2022. This plantation initiative will cover more than 80,000 institutional campuses of all the offices, councils, urban local bodies, corporations, autonomous councils, registered societies and educational institutions under the Government of Assam.

The Chief Minister also asked the Education, Health and Home Department to give major focus on implementing the programme and urged all State Government departments to register in the web portal developed for uploading Geo-tagged photographs of the plants so that the success of the programme can be properly monitored.

He urged all institutions to plant 75 saplings in and around the campuses calling such plants as Amrit Briksha to transform the CMIPP to Amrit Briksha Mahotsav coinciding with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration.

Sarma asked the Forest department to take steps for turning the Nursery business commercially more profitable by following success models from other states.

Science, Technology and Climate Change Minister Keshab Mahanta and a few other ministers and senior officials were present at the programme.

Also Read:   Assam Government seeks details of encroached lands

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