Other States - Himachal Pradesh   

Separate forest policy for hill States recommended

SHIMLA: With the objective of framing an alternative forestry policy for the country’s Himalayan States, a national conference on forest strategies for mitigation and adoption of impacts of climate change has come out with a series of recommendations here.

The conference recommended long-term monitoring across various economic zones and mapping of climate change-driven adaptations in natural resources usage and livelihood patterns.

It also advocated a separate forest policy for the western Himalayan States.

The conference in its 16-point agenda also recommended development of a data base on carbon sequestration potential of forest flora, effective deployment of advanced technologies, involvement of the community in forest protection and forestation, conservation of biological diversity and revisiting forestry operations to realise the water conservation potential of forests leading to development of water sanctuaries.

To check the menace of wild animals in the hill States, the agenda also emphasised the need for re-orienting forestation programmes to focus on species that help in mitigating man-animal conflict.

Additional Director-General of Forests P. B. Gangopadhyay, talking to media persons, said the matter of wild animals menace in few States had been raised in Union Ministry of Forests and Environment meetings.

Mr. Gangopadhyaya said a stricter implementation of laws is needed to check the unrestrained allotments of hydro-electric projects and cement plants in Himachal: “The number should be restricted if it goes beyond the carrying capacity of the particular environment.”

Mr. Gangopadhyay also confirmed release of Rs.500 crore in the first phase as a green bonus compensation for the western Himalayan States in lieu of protecting their forests.

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Separate forest policy for hill States recommended

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