Illegal felling: First time ever, Shimla trees to get RFID-tags
Himachal Pradesh HC has passed an order for Shimla's civic authorities to start tagging trees with radio frequency identification tags (RFID) in order to curb their felling. These tags will be mandatory for trees on government as well as private land. The authorities were asked to utilize World Bank funds for this purpose and cost on private lands would be incurred by the owners.
Blanket ban on felling of green trees in HP
A 2011 report claimed that 3,224 sq km in Himachal Pradesh has dense forests, and 6,381 sq km has moderately dense forests. The blanket ban (on felling trees) imposed by HP government in 1986 has gone a long way in making this possible.
It's a sad age for Himachal's green belt
Despite ban on felling trees, every 5 years, Himachal Pradesh, notably the Shimla region loses its forest cover. Roads are bulldozed through the forests in the name of "laying of pipelines, electricity and sewer lines, carriage of construction material" etc. Post that comes, illegal means to fell trees and the human encroachment that follows. Trees are dried on purpose and later cleared when dead.
Rs. 310 crore project for forest management launched in Himachal
In 2016, Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh propelled a Rs. 310 crore project for maintaining forests and minimising the effects of climate change. Started with German partnership, this 6-year long project would render direct and indirect employment to almost 1.5 lakh people in 600 cluster villages. The project would give impetus on increasing the bamboo forest cover and encourage people to plant broad-leafed trees.
Himachal to plant 1 crore saplings
To further increase its forest cover, Himachal Pradesh plans to plant 1 crore saplings on 15,000 hectares at the cost of Rs. 150 crore. To accomplish the goal all schools and almost 3,000 youth clubs across Himachal Pradesh will participate in the plantation drive. In 2015, MGNREGA workers had planted trees in a similar drive.
