Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today held an extensive tour of Kathua forest division and took stock of plantations being carried out in the area. Ch. Lal Singh asked the concerned officers to intensify the plantation drive during the rainy season while stressing on planting the saplings of ornamental and fruit plants that can sustain the local weather conditions along Barni village road. He said as many as 50,000 plants of both fruit and ornamental kind will be planted in Barni forest area. He informed that Kathua forest nursery will be stocked with variety of plant saplings to ensure maximum plantation during monsoon season. The Minister also visited Barni compartment No.17, Basantpur block where removal of weeding and digging work is going on in the spread of 60 hectares of forest land. Later, the Minister visited Dhanore forest area, compartment No.18 of Basantpur block of Kathua forest range and directed the officials to ensure massive plantation drive along with removal of weeds and clear demarcation of forest land. The Minister also inspected the work of Dhanore-ChoiTridwan link road and instructed the PHE officers for proper laying out of PHE pipes so that they are not exposed during the construction of road. DFO Kathua Ashwani Kumar, Range Officer Kathua Subhash Chander along with officers of PHE, PWD, Revenue and prominent people of Lakhanpur, Mah, Basantpur, Barni and Dhanore villages also accompanied the Minister.
