Jamshedpur: Van Mahotsav was organized jointly by Divisional Forest officer, Jamshedpur, Forest &Environment Department, Government of Jharkhand & Chief Environment Management Department Tata steel at SNTI on Tuesday. The programme started with plantation at SNTI Campus.
On the occasion KK Chatterjee, Regional Chief Conservator of Forest of Singhbhum said watershed is being developed at Baharagora and Potka to look after the cattle irrigation purpose, every district of Kolhan is using water shed development which is a Five Year Plan of Rs 64 crore.
Apart from this forest department is also engaged in plantation along the road side.
KZ Bhutia, Divisional Forest Officer, Dhalbhum, said 496 square kilometre of forest cover had been added (trees planted on outside forest) in Jharkhand which has been commended by Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), that makes assessment of the country�s forest and tree resources periodically using remote sensing technology. Its fast growing and comparing it to other states of India, Jharkhand ranks fourth.
Talking about the tourism opportunities Satyajit Singh CF (territorial), Jamshedpur, said Saranda forests have an immense tourism potential in it and the place can be a centre of eco-tourism and can be developed as high end tourist spot as it is surrounded by natural beauty and hundreds of hillocks.
Singh further said Dalma Sanctuary has done a remarkable job and with newly built guest house it will prove to be natural abode to those who love nature. Ghorabandha Park is also being developed which is a sign that in coming years the state would attract number of tourists.
Kiriburu rest house is also being renovated which is a positive sign for the state as tourist spots, particularly waterfalls and the watchtower, are near to the Kiriburu guesthouse. He said guest houses in Manoharpur, Goilkera, Sonua, Kiriburu (all in West Singhbhum) have been renovated by the department.
Some forest guest houses, which were built decades ago in Saranda forest and were destroyed by Maoist ultras have been renovated, Chatterjee said admitting that one of the oldest guest houses in Thalkobad could not be renovated for security reasons.
State Forest Department has initiated steps to promote it and has plans to build a ropeway in Dalma the work is under process and we hope the work gets completed soon, added Singh.
Government also has plans of developing Jayprakash Udyan situated in Adityapur. All together Jharkhand has immense tourism potential and if the government looks into it Kolhan division of the state can be a top level co tourism spots in the country. It�s not like Haryana and Punjab were they develop artificial forests in Jharkhand its natural and its time the government focuses on tourism sector in the state.
At the event Regional Chief Conservator of Forest, Singhbhum KK Chatterjee, Satyajit Singh CF (Territorial) Jamshedpur, KZ Bhutia Divisional Forest Officer, Jamshedpur, Suresh Dutt Tripathi VP-HRM, Tata Steel, SK Singh Chief Capability Development and SK Pati Chief Environment, Tata Steel were present.
