KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh Saturday directed officials of State Forest Corporation (SFC) to enhance quota of firewood for Masjids across the Kashmir region.
While inspecting the State Forest Corporation depot at Shalteng here, he said that firewood should be readily available for the religious places for use during winter season. He directed the concerned officials to put in place proper arrangements for the purpose, an official spokesperson said this evening.
He said that proper stock of firewood should be kept available for the people during the peak winter months so that they don’t have to face any inconvenience.
On the occasion, the Minister directed Forest officials to make the auction, sales and purchase process of firewood hassle-free. He also said that people should come forward with their demands pertaining to their needs with the department.
“Our first priority should be to reach out to the needy people not greedy ones,” he said.
Pertinent to mention here, Lal Singh has drawn flak from various quarters for his anti-Muslim remark. A delegation which called on him on May 18, 2016 in Jammu alleged that Lal Singh abused them. “Don’t you remember 1947,” Lal Singh is reported to have told the delegation which comprised of Muslims.
While taking stock of the timber depot at Shalteng, the Forest Minister directed officials to create a state-of- the-art timber depot so that people could avail all the facilities here.
During his visit, the Minister sough cooperation of people for rendering of better services by the department.
Meanwhile, Lal Singh today said that strengthening of State Forest Corporation (SFC) would revamp the forest department of the State.
“We should make sure that the SFC must get its life back,” Singh told officials while taking a review of the SFC depot, Shalteng in summer capital Srinagar.
“SFC is meant to give boost to the whole forest department with innovative measures,” he said.
Inspecting the State Forest Corporation depots, Shalteng, Singh said that revamping of the corporation was “highest priority” for him. He said this would not only add to the overall functioning of the forest department but it would generate huge profit for the government.
The Minister directed officials to make the auction of timber for people four times in a month so that they do not face any inconvenience in getting timber. He said that the committees should be formed which would ensure that the work was carried out on fast-track basis. “The timber and other necessary items from the forest department should be readily available for people across the State,” he said and added that the department needs a lot of innovative measures on all the fronts right from conservation to the supplies,” he said.
Directing the authorities to carry out repair and renovation work of SFC depot Shalteng, the Minister asked to fill the patches and potholes within the premises. He also directed the concerned to keep the decay timber out of the depot, saying that a Sawmill should be installed within the SFC premises on priority basis so that the people get quality timber from the government-run depots.
While visiting the Workshop at SFC, Lal Singh directed the concerned for auction of seized automobiles on priority basis so that the place occupied by these automobiles be cleared. “Places of forests should be maintained in a professional way and people should feel good to come and visit us at any point of time,” he said and added that there won’t be any compromise on Forest areas. He also directed the concerned for fencing and construction of compound walls at PC depot Srinagar and other depots.
