Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that balance is necessary between environmental improvement, forest conservation and development. Madhya Pradesh still has 30 per cent forest cover. States protecting forests should be awarded and encouraged. Positive results have been yielded by efforts to link forest dwellers and profits from forests in Madhya Pradesh. Chouhan was addressing a two-day brainstorming camp of Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change here on Friday. He said that Indian philosophy is based on Ekatm-wad. Our philosophy believes that all including animals, birds, insects, etc have the same consciousness as in human beings.
The Chief Minister said that nature should be tapped in balanced manner and should not be exploited. Mindset needs to be changed for this. He called for balanced approach so that environment is not affected, forest dwellers do not face difficulty and development is also not affected. Chouhan drew attention of experts and participants of brainstorming camp towards his important suggestions. He stressed the need for revolutionary thinking for upgradation of degraded forests. He said that forests can be upgraded by ensuring public participation through share in forest produce and other benefits.
Safe forests can also be augmented through public participation. Bushland forests devoid of large trees where there is no afforestation hope in future can be used for other development works. Concrete efforts should be made to protect and densify remaining forests and degraded forests should be upgraded. The Chief Minister said that number of wildlife is increasing. Now, tigers roar even in Kolar area of Bhopal. It is necessary that animals are safe, but it is also necessary that the human beings remain safe from them. Making special reference about destruction of crops by increasing number of Neelgais, he called for arrangements either to repulse these wild animals back to jungles or make such efforts that wildlife-human struggle does not occur.
Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar (Independent Charge) said that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s address has paved way for contemplation during this two-day camp. He directed Central government officers to immediately make available information and circulars about decisions of the Central Government properly to States. He informed that now roads passing through forest can be repaired without permission from Forest Ministry. Permission has also been granted to Jabalpur-Nagpur four-lane road. Degraded forests will be upgraded and balanced development will also be considered, he added.