Face to Face with Ch. Lal Singh: Part I / Trees are best friends of mankind as they serve every creature on planet earth: Ch Lal Singh

Government has prepared a comprehensive plan to beautify every barren and roadside strip from Lakhanpur to Leh with green cover within two years and in this regard we are plant- ing about 10 lakh plants of different spices across the Jammu region during rainy season.
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This was informed by Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh during his exclusive talk with the Young Bites.
Here are the excerpts.
Vijay Gupta
VG: 68th Van Mahotsava, what is special in this mahotsava, which is being celebrated by your department statewide?
LS: This is a very important mahotsava and not only for our state but also for the entire country, as due to the ongoing season of monsoon, which is the best time for launching the plantation drive, we are celebrating this mahotsava as a festival. Under this mahotsava we have kick started plantation drives at Tungi Morh, Jalabi Morh, Chowki Chaura areas of Akhnoor tehsil and later at Sunderbani and Nowshera areas of Rajouri district, and will include every part of our state from the Lakahnpur to the Kashmir valley.
VG: What type of saplings you are planting during the plantation drives at the various places?
LS: During this mahotsava we have planned for the massive plantation drive and planted saplings of different species like Chinar, Mango, Jamun, Borh, Saru, Guava, Boogal, Jeo-Pota, Raat Ki Rani and Amla in the forests of the areas. We have prepared a comprehensive plan to beautify every barren and roadside strip from Lakhanpur to Leh with green cover within two years. He said instructions have been issued to the Divisional Forest Officers to plant about 10 lakh plants of different spices across the Jammu region during rainy season.
VG: What is the motive behind celebrating this mahotsava in a big way?
LS: Behind celebrating this mahotsava, our main motive is to generate massive awareness regarding harmful effects of deforestation and need to plant more trees to maintain fragile ecological balance. So, it is very important for carrying out plantation drives throughout the region for reversing the harmful effects of deforestation and global warming besides preserving the pristine natural beauty.
I think, trees are best friends of mankind as they serve in a variety of ways to every creature on planet earth.
VG: How much sapling planned to plant during this van mahotsava?
LS: There is need for planting unlimited number of plants in our states as this is very important to increase the area of forest covers. Meanwhile, ensuing rainy season is the best time for plantation and forest department has taken it on mission mode to cover maximum suitable areas and I also want to inform you that my department has done a very good job and due to their efforts, around 10 lakh saplings were planted after the commencement of Van Mahotsava and we have planned to plant around 70-80 lakh saplings this season.
VG: What is your message for the people on the occasion of 68th van Mahotsava in our state?
LS: In my message I wanted to appeal the people, not only it is my duty of plant more and more plants, while it is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders of the society to contribute for preserving the green wealth and nature’s best gift. I also want to appeal all stakeholders to be a part of plantation drives so that ecology can be maintained properly.