Forest Dept, locals plant 500 saplings in Bhaderwah

Bhaderwah Feb 22: In a bid to enhance forest cover and prevent land degradation, the Forest Department on Sunday launched a plantation drive at Dhumanda Village of Bhaderwah with active participation of local residents and students.

The plantation drive in which 500 saplings of cedar and banj oak were planted was inaugurated by ADC Bhaderwah Sunil Kumar Bhutyal along with DFO Devinder Kumar, Tehsildar Kamal Preet Singh and Range Officer Sameer Rishu.

ADC Sunil Kumar Bhutyal said, “This is a unique thing that villagers themselves volunteered for the plantation, which shows despite residing in far off areas, even common people are becoming sensitive about the importance of trees for the survival of mankind.”

Devinder Kumar, DFO Bhaderwah said, “due to afforestation our ecology and local environment has got badly effected resulting in very little or no precipitation as since last 5 years snow has either disappeared or we receive very meager of it. As a corrective measure, we planted 500 hundred saplings and distributed equal number seedlings among the villagers beside sowing was also carried.”