August 20, 2008 :Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Forest Minister launched the plantation programme started by Laghu Udyog Bharti by planting a sapling of ‘Harad’ at Shoghi in Shimla district last evening.
Shri Nadda said that aforestation was very essential keeping in view the grave effects of global warming and added that people’s participation in plantation programmes could go a long way in increasing the green cover. He said that awareness should be generated among the people regarding environment protection and added that Mahila Mandals and Yuvak Mandals could play a significant role in this direction. He said that more than 12 lakh families of the state planted about 14 lac saplings in their homes under the Jan-Jan Sanjeevani Abhiyan-2008 on 3rd August, 2008.
He said that state had great potential for cultivating medicinal plants and added that farmers were being encouraged to grow such plants whose products were in great demand in the national and international markets. He said that the forest department has distributed about 15 lakh herbal plants during the current monsoon season and added that all out efforts would be made to motivate the farmers to diversify their activities by growing herbal plants.
He said that forest wealth would be protected at all costs, which were providing direct benefits of Rs. 7740 crore per annum and added that the forest wealth was very precious and state government was committed to protect it.
Shri Suresh Bhardwaj, MLA said that the Jan-Jan Sanjeevani Abhiyan-2008 was a mass plantation programme undertaken on a large scale on a single day and added that more such programmes should be launched to increase green cover in the state.
Shri Sohan Lal, Local MLA, Shri Manoj Kumar, Director Industries department, Shri J.S. Rana, Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Shri R.M Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Shri S.K. Sharma, Conservator Forests, Senior officers of Forest department, Representatives of various Mahila and Yuvak Mandals and NGO’s were present on the occasion.