The Hindu : National : Assam to get two green battalions

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Wednesday, Dec 28, 2005

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Assam to get two green battalions

Sushanta Talukdar

To restore forest cover in denuded areas; instructions given to Territorial Army The State Forest Department would provide the technological know-how and planting materials to the soldiers of the green army

Guwahati: Assam will get two green battalions that will be deployed for regeneration of forest cover in denuded areas of the State.

State Forest Minister Pradyut Bordoloi told reporters on Tuesday that the Centre had agreed to provide fund for raising the two battalions and had issued the necessary instruction to the Territorial Army.

The Minister also said that according to latest reports of the Forest Survey of India, the State's forest cover had increased to 36 per cent from the previous figure of 30 per cent of 1997 (The report of Forest Survey of India 997 were made public in 2000).

Each battalion would comprise five companies with a total strength of 600 personnel who would be recruited from among ex-servicemen and local unemployed youth. The Minister said the Centre had discontinued the scheme of raising green battalion as it turned out to be very expensive. During the seventies green battalions were deployed in Himachal Pradesh and present Uttranchal areas which resulted in increase in forest cover in those regions, he added.

Mr. Bordoloi said the State Forest Department had completed preliminary discussions with the Army for raising the battalions. The State Forest Department would provide the technological know-how and planting materials to the soldiers of the green army. While the State Government would put in its share of Rs. 2 crores in terms of providing land for creating the infrastructure, planting materials and technological know how the centre would provide Rs. 4.5 crores every year for meeting the recurring expense.

Each company of the green battalion has been given a target of regenerating forests in a total area of 2,500 hectares of denuded forest over five years.

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