PAC recommends providing of timber to BPL families at concessional rates

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended for providing of timber to the consumers living Below Poverty Line (BPL) on concessional rates. The Committee suggested for strengthening the demarcation divisions of the forest department so that the encroachment of forest land is stopped. The committee also suggested for devising mechanism of joint survey by Revenue and Forest Departments officials to check the encroachment of forest land.

These recommendations were given in a meeting of PAC convened with the senior officers of forest and its allied departments held today at Assembly Lobby under the chairmanship of Member Legislative Assembly, Ch. Mohammad Ramzan.

The meeting was attended by Legislators Mr. Rachpaul Singh, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani, Mr. Abdul Gani Vakil and Mr. Murtaza Ahmad Khan. Commissioner/Secretary, Forest, Accountant General, J&K, Director Accounts & Treasuries and Head of Department of Forest and its allied departments also attended the meeting. .

The meeting discussed threadbare issues including finalization of Forest Protection Force (FPF) rules within two months, issuance of weapons to FPF staff, smuggling of timber seized, details of fire incidents, progress of grazing and forest policy, encroachment of forest land, supply of timber, resin policy and formulation of working plans. Besides, working of Social Forestry Department with reference to plantation nurseries, revival rates of plants was also threadbare deliberated.

The members raised various public importance issues in the meeting.

Replying to question raised by Mr. Vakil, it was told that four nurseries are functional in Baramulla district.

The Chairman stressed upon the officers to work with utmost dedication and ensure policies and programme of forest works are completed in a time bound manner so that the benefits reached the deserving. The Committee asked the forest and its allied departments to maintain close coordination and work with unison. The committee asked the concerned to submit a detailed report about the encroachment of forest land.