Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing’s latest survey has called for massive afforestation in nearly 2700 forest compartments across Jammu and Kashmir.
The study centered on identifying the land parcels under forest divisions for plantation under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) program and the assessment revealed that out of 4629 compartments in Jammu Forest divisions, 347 falls under low priority, 1034 under medium priority and 1235 under high priority. Similarly, for 461 compartments in Kashmir Forest divisions, 49 fall under low, 248 under medium and 164 under high priority.
Importantly, the study recommended an increase in the allocation of resources to afforestation programs like CAMPA to improve forest cover and mitigate the effects of deforestation and forest land degradation. Moreover, it has stressed that focus should be laid on the priority compartments identified in the analysis to target afforestation efforts efficiently.
Kashmir has been known for its greenery all over the world. People of Jammu and Kashmir have been for ages depending on forests timber for construction besides innumerous useful and nourishing herbs.
However, for a few decades now, lush green forests have faced axe. The deforestation by timber smugglers, some government agencies and even people bordering the forests, keeps on damaging large scale land for construction of private houses, residential colonies, and even some government offices.
The effects of degradation of forests are already visible in drying up of perennial water sources at many places, accelerated soil erosion, flash floods, silting up of reservoirs, loss of biodiversity and reduced forest productivity.
15th century saint and poet Sheikh ul Alam famously remarked: “Ann poshi teli yeli wan poshi”, meaning “food is subservient to forests.” Simply put, the food will last as long as forests last.
People need to wake up and save the forests. From their ancestors, people of Jammu and Kashmir have inherited a ‘paradise on earth’. The unusual weather being experienced is giving a warning to all, whether ordinary people or those at the helm of affairs.
There is no denying that natural resources for industrial and allied sector growth are important but the administration and the concerned people should consider the ecosystem services that the forests provide to J&K. There is a need to evaluate whether such large-scale diversion and conversions will be beneficial in the long-run or ruin the ecological fragile place beyond repairs. There seems to be a lack of appreciation of the unseen benefits of forests but the already existing impact is for everyone to perceive. In this background, recommendations made in the survey need to be acted upon to increase the forest cover.
