Haryana CM expresses concern over damage to Mangar Bani forests

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Tuesday expressed concerns over the manner in which the forest area of Mangar Bani in Aravalis has been damaged.He made an aerial survey to see for himself the area and banned sale and purchase of land in Mangar Bani and in a radius of 500 metres of this area, said the Chief Minister, while addressing 66th State level Van Mahotsava at Chhachhrauli in Yamunanagar. He said that Van Mahotsava would continue for three months and urged the people that each family should plant at least one sapling in a year.

He said that out of the total area of 44 lakh hectares of the state, 1.68 lakh hectares are under forest, which is only 3.9 per cent of the total area. He said that a target has been set to increase the forest cover by six per cent and make it 20 per cent in future. The Chief Minister also urged license holders of plywood industry and stone crushers that each of them should undertake plantation over an area of one acre so as to increase the forest cover. He said that those who rank among the first ten in this drive would get incentive. The one, who would stand first, would get a reward of Rs1 lakh. 

He said that the State Government was formulating a plan to promote eco-tourism in Shivalik area and develop it as a herbal park. Species of medicinal plants would be planted in Aravalis area under the guidance of Acharya Balkrishan, an associate of Yog Guru Ramdev.

While urging the people to understand the significance of plants, the Chief Minister said that one requires wood even to perform last rites. He also described Chhachhrauli as Cherrapunji of Haryana adding that it was the only area in Haryana which has never been declared as a draught area.