To create ecological balance, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday asked the Forests and Wildlife Preservation Department to revive the original flora and fauna keeping in view the State’s natural climate and habitat.
Capt Amarinder, reviewing the functioning of Forests and Wildlife Preservation Department through video conferencing, emphasized the need to undertake massive plantation of traditional trees including ber, kikar, saal, shisham etc besides katha amb — an indigenous variety of Mango commonly prevalent in Kandi region and southern Punjab, which have eventually dwindled due to passage of time as revival of its plantation would obviously offer a natural habitat to old species of wild animals and birds which have now gradually extinct over a period of time.
The Chief Minister also complimented the Department for undergoing plantation of Chandan and high yielding Bamboo (Bamabusa Balcooa), which gives double the yield of traditional bamboo. He asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Anirudh Tiwari to encourage plantation of more indigenous species and motivate the farmers for plantation of Poplar, which is not only water efficient but also quite remunerative due to its huge demand in the wood industry.
The Department has also been asked to fully explore the potential of ecotourism and concerted efforts should be made to develop Siswan and Harike as preferred ecotourism destinations in northern India.
“Facilities like boating, nature trails, boardwalks, bird watch towers should be created to attract the tourists,” said the Chief Minister underlining the need for multi department convergence strategy to promote allied agro forestry activities such as Sericulture, Apiculture (bee-keeping) to supplement the income of the farmers.
Likewise, the Chief Minister also underscored the need to go for breeding of crocodiles in our rivers, especially Beas and Sutlej, which were in abundance almost six decades ago. He, however, appreciated the efforts of the department for reintroduction of Ghariyal, which form a very important component of the riverine ecosystem and were present in the river systems of Punjab.
Capt Amarinder Singh also lauded the efforts of wildlife for conservation of Indus Dolphins that have been declared as State Aquatic Animals in 2019.
Taking serious view of the growing population of the wild boar, blue bull, and Roz especially in the Kandi area and cotton belt of southern Punjab, the Chief Minister asked the Wildlife Department to immediately take effective measures to save the precious human lives, which are often lost due to beastly attacks by these wild animals besides colossal damage to their crops.
Showing deep concern over the menace of stray cattle across the state, the Chief Minister said that it was now posing a major threat to the safety and security of the people resulting in frequent casualties due to road accidents. To address this problem on priority, Capt Amarinder asked the Wildlife Department to work out modalities in sync with the Animal Husbandry Department for shifting and rehabilitating the stray cattle in those Birs which were not wildlife sanctuaries.