State forest cover enhanced by 1%

After Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched a plantation drive from Rajgarh during Vanamahotsava, the Forest Department last year planted 17.51 lakh saplings from July 12 to 14 throughout the state, which has enhanced the green cover by 1 per cent as per the Indian Forest Survey Report, 2017.

According to a government spokesperson, these efforts have helped enhance the green cover. The state has registered a 1 per cent increase in its forest cover as per the Indian Forest Survey Report, 2017.

• This year, as many as 86,231 persons participated in this campaign. Saplings were planted at 600 identified spots.
• To increase the green cover, the state government has started three projects and roped in locals.
• The ‘Samudayik Van Samvardhan Yojana’ has been launched to ensure the participation of youngsters and mahila mandals.
• Similarly, under the ‘Vidyarthi Van Mitra Yojana’, plots in forest areas will be allotted to schools for plantation.
• The state government will give cash prizes ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 30,000.
• The Rs 800-crore HP Forest Eco System Management and Livelihood Improvement project has been started in six districts — Kullu, Mandi, Lahaul-Spiti, Bilaspur, Shimla and Kinnaur.Under the project, 460 committees will be constituted for promoting activities like forest and environmental protection, biodiversity and organism conservation.

Samudayik Van Samvardhan Yojna :

To ensure involvement of local communities for conservation and development of forest, a new 'Samudayik Van Samvardhan Yojna' will be launched. Under the scheme participation of Yuvak Mandals and Mahila Mandals will be ensured by allotting plots in forest lands for plantation of useful plant species.

Vidyarthi Van Mitra Yojana : 

• The Forest Department has also instructed all the Education Department to ensure plantation by every child during the Van Mahotsava. The Government says that schools will be given separate land for plantation, whose responsibility will be handled by them. Similarly, forest land will be given to schools for plantation, for which new student forest friend scheme will be started.
• The state government's Student Friend  Scheme,Under this scheme the government will include those schools in the state where the Eco Club is already built.
• In those schools, the government will add to the program of sixth grade children in the plantation program. Under the scheme, children will be given three to four plant for planting. It will be the responsibility of the children that they will supervise the plants planted by them until they complete their studies from the school.
• Aim for educating about the importance of forests and their role in environmental protection.

Himachal Pradesh Livelihood and Forest Ecosystems Management project :

• The Himachal Pradesh Livelihood and Forest Ecosystems Management project has been finally signed between the Indian Government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The Agency on March 29, 2018, signed loan agreements to provide Japanese ODA loans of up to a total of 187.884 billion yen to India for five projects.
• The Rs. 800 crore project for Himachal is one of these agreements. The project would be implemented six districts namely, Bilaspur, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi and Shimla in next ten years.

Out of total project cost, Rs. 640 crore would be provided as loans.

The government says it will establish a sustainable forest conservation system for local economic development with help of this loan. As per the HP Government, the following are the objectives of the project:

• Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management
• Sustainable Biodiversity Management
• Livelihoods Improvement Support
• Institutional Capacity Strengthening

Objective :

• As per the agreement, the project will promote activities pertaining to sustainable forest ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation in Himachal, as well as creating an implementation system for those activities, building the capacity of participants, and strengthening the livelihood infrastructure of local residents. These measures will strengthen the ecosystem management system in the forested areas of the Hill State.
• The project is expected to implement afforestation activities over an area covering at least 10,000 hectares in Himachal. 
• The local residents will be given training for sustainable forest ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. The project also includes extending support for livelihood improvements such as in poultry farming and horticulture will also be provided.

Why Himachal Need It

• As per the project details, the major concern is to protect biodiversity and conserve forests. The State is filled with rugged topography, from low hills to soaring mountains, and also has a diverse ecosystem.
• The state as a whole is also a part of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, and is a house of many endangered species listed on the IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature )Red List.
• There is no doubt about it that the State requires ecosystem conservation. The forest resource use is increasing due to a rising population, the burden on forest resources has been growing due to deforestation by development projects, and the forests have been suffering from local degradation due to forest fires and other causes. Such forest degradation affects the biological habitat, threatening the loss of the biodiversity. In addition, wild animals have frequently appeared in the human biosphere in recent years because of forest degradation, and there has been much damage to residents, livestock and more.
• Therefore, it requires necessary steps to quickly strengthen forest conservation and biodiversity conservation measures

By: Pooja Sharda