DDC seeks focus on waste management, forest fortification, rain water conservation, plantation
POONCH: District Development Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma today chaired a meeting to assess the implementation of environment protection initiatives in the district.
The meeting focused on key issues including management of non-biodegradable and biomedical waste, fencing of forest and wildlife protected areas, progress of the Nagar Van Scheme, Catch the Rain campaign, identification of wetlands and forest land and enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic.
The DDC conducted a detailed review and sought status reports from SDMs, Tehsildars, DFO and other concerned officers. The officers apprised him of the progress made and challenges faced in their respective areas.
The DDC directed the field officers to conduct on-ground inspections to verify Forest area boundaries and ensure removal of encroachments. Emphasizing the importance of environmental conservation, he called for intensifying efforts to enhance greenery, improve air quality and uplift the quality of urban life under the Nagar Van Scheme.
Reviewing the Catch the Rain programme, the DFO and other officers briefed the District Development Commissioner about the status of water conservation initiatives such as development of Amrit Sarovars, Water Harvesting Tanks and other sources across the district. He further instructed the officers to sensitize people in hilly areas about the importance of rainwater harvesting and sustainable water resource management.
He directed the SDMs to conduct field inspections of ongoing works and strictly enforce ban on single-use plastic to promote eco-friendly practices in the district.
The meeting was attended by ADC Tahir Mustafa Malik; CPO Mohammad Iqbal Zargar; ACP Rakesh Sharma; ACD Shakeel Ahmed; SDMs, CAO, Tehsildars, PO IWMP, DFOs, CAO, Xen JAL Shakti, BDOs and other concerned officers.