MIRPUR [AJK]: Feb 08 (APP):The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to provide free LPG cylinders and stoves to each household to encourage them to use alternative gas instead of burning wood to prevent deforestation. The project will cost Rs. 200 million.
The decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting held in the State metropolis on Tuesday to review the performance of the AJK Forest and Fisheries departments.
AJK Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi chaired the meeting which reviewed the last six months performance of the departments.
The meeting further decided to launch an awareness campaign to save the forests from fire and under this campaign, seminars and awareness walks would be organized in various cities in February and March to promote eco-tourism in Azad Kashmir.
The meeting was told that practical steps would be taken for the protection of forests in the coming financial year and in that regard, Rs. 80 million would be spent for the computerization of Forest Department while Rs. 200 million would be provided for the provision of gas to the people residing rear forests and Rs 100 million would be spent for eco tourism while eight new development projects costing over Rs. 600 million would be launched.
The Prime Minister was informed during the briefing that the Forest Department in Azad Kashmir is striving to achieve the targets. The target is to plant 50 million more trees in the next six months, while 2.6 million trees have been planted under public-private partnership besides having the target of planting 25 million trees in the next six months. The Forest Department has seized 3,574 cubic feet of timber during operations against the timber mafia.
The meeting was further informed that the Forest Department has fixed the revenue target of 600 million rupees while 174 million rupees have been achieved and the remaining target of 426 million rupees will be achieved in the next six months.
The meeting was informed that fish farms would be set up under public-private partnership for fish farming across Azad Kashmir under the auspices of fisheries which will increase the income of the local population.
Addressing the meeting, the AJK Prime Minister said that protection of forests should be ensured in Azad Kashmir to avoid the effects of climate change. He said that the occupation of forests would not be tolerated under any circumstances and no compromise should would be made on protection of forests.
Practical and effective strategies should be adopted for the prevention of fires and attention should be paid to protect the environment and effective measures should be taken for plantation trees and directed the department to ensure public participation in tree planting and tree planting drive.
He said the forest nurseries should be made functional and to ensure supply of trees to the people and effective and efficient measures should be taken to prevent illegal deforestation.
He directed the forest department to make the tender process of forest lease 100 percent transparent and appoint a dutiful officer before tendering of lease and directed the officials to promote eco-tourism and assured that the government would provide all resources for the promotion of eco-tourism.
The Prime Minister said that the State government will provide all resources for the success of the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and added that the Prime Minister Imran Khan has a special interest in both the projects and special attention should be paid to these projects.
Minister for Forests, Wildlife and Fisheries Muhammad Akmal Sargala, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary to the Prime Minister Zafar Mehmood, Secretary Forests Chaudhry Imtiaz and other concerned officials attended the meeting.
