Haryana to raise green cover to 10 per cent

Chandigarh, July 14 (UNI) The Haryana government has decided to increase forest and tree cover in the state to 10 per cent by 2010 and 20 per cent eventually through Agro-Forestry and massive tree plantations on forest and waste lands.

An official spokesman said during the current financial year 4.50 crore seedlings would be distributed to the people free of cost to be planted over an area of 12443 hectares.

During the last two years, 9.25 crore seedlings were distributed free of cost to bring 32020 hectares of land under tree plantation.

He said that to achieve the objectives of the Forest Policy, a Rs 286 crore project was also being implemented in 800 villages of the state for afforestation and poverty alleviation, besides taking up 20 schools per district for school plantation and massive awareness programme.

To ensure better survival rates, tall plants were being planted, he added.

He pointed out that the state government was laying special stress to establish herbal parks in each district of the state to make people aware of the importance of traditional Indian system of medicines.

During the current financial year, eight new herbal parks would be set up in the state. New timber markets were also being established in the state to make farmers adopt agro-forestry, besides promoting eco-tourism in Kalesar, Morni Hills and Sultanpur National Park.

Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre had also been established near Pinjore to save the vultures from rapid extinction, he added.

The spokesman said 1745 Village Forest Committees and 1095 Self Help Groups had been constituted to improve the socio-economic condition of the rural women.

As many as 28 water harvesting dams had also been constructed in Shivalik Hills area to augment water resources so that sufficient water might be ensured to the farmers for irrigation.

UNI