In a meeting of senior officers of Forest Department at Forest Headquarters Shimla today, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said that necessary amendments were being done in present TD Policy of the State to make it more realistic and people friendly.
Bharmouri directed the officers of the department to work in better coordination with Forest Development Corporation to remove the fallen trees from forests in time bound manner. He also directed for the simplifying the procedure for issuing permits to the Shepherds and to restart the closed nurseries.
Forest Minister said that scientific exploitation of forest medicinal plants was being ensured and a four year cycle for harnessing medicinal plants would be followed. The information regarding it would be made available at Forest Range Level for the people. He directed the department for conservation of endangered species. He said that the royalty of herbal plant “Nagchhatri’ had been fixed so that its unscientific exploitation could be stopped.
Bharmouri directed to expedite the transfer of areas to and from protected areas to complete the process of rationalization. He expressed concern over the recent incidents of attack by leopards and asked the officers to take necessary steps for curtailing the menace.
Dr. Rohit Vats, Dr. Khalli and Dr. Krishan Kumar gave a presentation on eradication of Lantana and its scientific usefulness. They said that compressed timber of teak wood quality would be prepared from lantana and its cost would be one third to that of the teak wood.
Forest Minister honoured these scientists for this endeavour. R.K. Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests gave a detailed presentation on the activities of the department. A.K.Gulati, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife wing, J.S. Walia, Managing Director, Forest Development Corporation and other senior officers of the Department were also present in the meeting.
