Forest department Special Chief Secretary A. Santi Kumari has exhorted officials to take steps to prevent encroachment of forest lands and ensure zero tolerance to smuggling of forest produce.
She directed the officials to take up survey and demarcation of forest boundaries in all districts and activities relating to block-wise stabilisation and rejuvenation of forests. She wanted the forest protection committees constituted in all districts to prepare action plan in this direction at the earliest and take up works.
Ms. Santi Kumari held a meeting with District Collectors and forest officials on the sidelines of the high-level meeting of the officials convened by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday. She wanted the officials to focus on multi-level avenue plantations along major roads.
More than 50% of works on the 109 urban parks taken up in the State were completed so far and steps should be initiated to complete the rest of the works expeditiously. The Forest department on its part should extend technical assistance to other departments that would take up Harita Haaram programme for making it complete success.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests R. Shoba wanted the officials to further strengthen the forest check posts. Senior officials should undertake field visits and check the CC footage at all the check posts. Efforts should be made to identify areas without check posts, thus giving scope for smuggling, and intensify vigil in these areas.
She warned that the department would initiate disciplinary action against officials at different levels found guilty of negligence of duties. Ms. Shoba wanted officials to focus on plantation of tamarind saplings during the coming Harita Haaram programme.
