State Forest Minister Dinesh Aggrawal has said that 207 forest employees, who have been working on contractual or daily basis, have been identified and now the department is all set to regularise them.
In a bid to conserve the environment, the State Government has started Mera Ped Mera Dhan (my tree my wealth) scheme under which we are going to plant one crore saplings across the State. If anyone sows sapling and protects the tree for the next three years the State Government would give Rs300 per tree as FD to the person from five years since sapling. Even the State Government is going to increase the area of fodder with the help of Van Panchayat.
To promote tourism, the State Government is going to keep Dola zone of Corbett National Park open all the year round and Malsi Deer Park would be developed as Mini Zoo to ensure there are more and more tourist footfalls. With this, the locals would get employment opportunity as well. This aside, the State Government is going to develop Dehradun as eco - tourism hub.We have decided to develop Tiger Safari in Kotdwar and an International Zoo in Haldwani. For this, we would select 250 villages. Even to protect standing crops from the wildlife animals, we have started Agriculture Security Scheme. A 30 hectare land is being used for monkey shelter in Chidiyapur of Haridwar district. To check poaching, we have intensified the patrolling system.
Besides, we would establish 20 motor cycle- borne panther squad. Motor patrolling is being launched in Kaladhungi lake. To protect crops from wild life and to ensure forest security, the State Government has given more authority to the forest sub -inspector. To cope up with the disaster in the forest area, a disaster technical management team from Japan is visiting and they will train our personnel. To check migration, we are putting more effort on how to revive our agriculture. Eco- tourism is being promoted as well. We are blending eco- tourism with the mainstream economy. To bring more transparency in forest, land transfer system is being made online. For this, the forest department is organising training programmes for their staff and so far 600 staffs have been trained.
The nodal officer of forest land transfer office, Dehradun has been asked to organise such camps in Almora, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar so that the district staff would also be able to upload their development on time. So far 153 proposals have been received online. During media interaction PCCF SS Sharma, Principal Chief conservation of forest (PCCF) and Chief Forest Conservator Garhwal Gambhir Singh and Dehradun DFO Sushant Patnaik were present.
