PM to address national environment and forest conference

New Delhi, Aug 18 (ANI): New Delhi, Aug 18 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, will address a national conference of Ministers of Environment and Forests here today.

The conference is expected to take a comprehensive stock of policies and programmes being implemented to protect the environment, forests and wildlife.

Union Minister of state (Independent charge) Jairam Ramesh, Secretaries of Environment and Forests from all states, the chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board, the chairmen of pollution control boards in all states, the principal chief conservators of forests, the chief wildlife wardens, members of the Planning Commission, chief ministers, secretaries to the Government of India, Dr R K Pachauri, the Director General of TERI, and various non-government organisations will participate in the conference.

The conference will seek to enhance the efforts of the Central and State Governments for the effective implementation of environment-related policies and programmes.

Deliberations will focus on several issues, including monitoring compliance with environment and forest related laws and regulations and the road map for institution building; river cleaning - innovative models and enhanced co-ordination among the centre, states and local bodies; strategies for increasing forest cover and enhancing synergies between Green India Mission, National Afforestation Programme and CAMPA Funds; strengthening of state forest departments and capacity building of forest officials; protection of forests in the context of the implementation of Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2006 and wildlife management and tiger conservation and issues related to man-animal conflict. (ANI)