The State Forest Department has prepared a blueprint to implement Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s dream project, ‘Humara Pedh- Humara Dhan’. This project is aimed at reducing the dependence on the State’s forests and encouraging plantation of trees on private land which would fulfill the needs of fodder, timber and fuel. The CM had recently asked the department officials to prepare a blue print of the project stressing on the need for ensuring participation of the common people in it.
Providing this information principal secretary, Forests, Dr Ranvir Singh said that the scheme will be implemented on private lands in the plains and mountainous areas. The land owners will be the beneficiaries of this scheme. Applications for those interested in the project will be available free of cost on the department’s websites and with department officers. Saplings for plantation will be available at the forest department as well as registered women’s and farmers’ nurseries at concessional rates. The applicant who has planted the saplings will be responsible for them. The chief conservators of forests, Garhwal and Kumaon circles along with nodal officers will monitor the project implementation while conservators of forests and Van Panchayats will coordinate. The development report will be submitted to the additional principal chief conservator of forests (Planning and Finance) who will in turn submit monthly reports to the Government.
This is a 10 year project and the plantation work with the plantation slated to be undertaken for five years. A target for 50,000 trees has been set for this year. In case of excess number of applicants, the names of beneficiaries will be decided through lottery system. A single applicant/ family will get a maximum of hundred plants. Applications for 2014 will be accepted till the end of this month. Deodar, Sheesham, Tun and other local species will be planted for timber, Anyar Dalri, Kataunj and Tungal for fuel, oak, Bheemal, Khareek, Gethi, Tusharu, Timla, Putli, Kanjal and other local species for fodder, Mehal, Padam, Timla, Berhu, Kaafal, gooseberry, Bahera, walnut, Reetha, wild mangoes, Bhootiya Badam and others for fruits apart from Tejpat, bamboo, rhododendron, ringal, khair, peepal, banyan and other local species. Trees like pine, eucalyptus, poplar, Morpankhi and others will not be included in this project.