Recently Chief Secretary, chaired a meeting of the Forest, Ecology & Environment Department to assess its functioning besides reviewing the progress on ongoing conservation measures for protection of lakes and wetlands in the Union Territory.

He directed the officers to frame a comprehensive action plan based on scientific principles for rehabilitation of degraded forest areas within a stipulated time frame.

To enhance the efficiency of forest land management, he instructed the officials to expedite the survey and demarcation of forest lands by installing boundary pillars and digitizing the records. This step aims to effectively curb encroachments and safeguard forest resources, he maintained.

Focusing on afforestation efforts, he asked the department to accelerate the plantation drives to meet the ambitious target of planting 1.5 crore saplings by the end of the upcoming plantation season. He stressed that achieving this goal without any delay was imperative for environmental sustainability. He emphasized the need for ensuring maximum survival of planted saplings by adopting protective measures, including fencing of reforested areas.

Highlighting the ecological importance of wetlands, he underscored their crucial role in the ecosystem and called for rigorous conservation efforts. He directed the officials to ensure proper demarcation and protection of wetlands, along with improving water quality and other relevant parameters to enhance their sustainability.