Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri held a meeting with officers of Forest department to review the activities of Forest department.

Forest Minister said that different wings of forest department should strive to coordinate among themselves in better way to achieve good results and special emphasis should be given to cultivate local species of plants so as to provide fodder, timber and fuel to the people in plenty. He directed that closed nurseries of forest department should be reopened. A special campaign would be launched to eliminate lantana and other weeds in the infested areas so that more area is available for grass and fodder species, he added.

Bharmouri said that waste material from Hydro Electric Projects should be dumped at identified sites and directed the department to formulate new Forest Development Schemes. He said that every employee and officer of the department should participate in Panchayat meetings and Gram Sabhas to disseminate the information regarding forestry schemes among the masses. He said that effective steps would be taken to fill up the vacant posts of forest guards and others in the department.

Earlier R.K.Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator congratulated Bharmouri for taking over as Forest Minister and detailed activities of the department. J.S. Walia, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Forest Corporation presented a detailed report regarding the Corporation. Bharti S. Sihag, Principal Secretary (Forest) and other senior officers of the forest department were also present in the meeting.