Deforestation

The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was famous world over for its natural scenic beauty. This captivating beauty consisted of snow clad mountains, rivers, lakes, landscapes and above all because of its green gold, which include meadows and dense forests. But the recent activities being carried out in union territory of present Jammu and Kashmir is presenting a different picture and also a possibility of losing its most important asset, the greenery. It is being claimed that a new era of development has ushered in UT JK but this development has brought something very dangerous for the scenic beauty of this region. Every development is the beginning of deforestation in our green region. To compensate for
this damage every year massive plantations are carried out across the country and also in UT J&K.
Rainy season or monsoon season of rains is also known as a season of plantation. As in this season because of continuous rainfall the land is soft and is suitable for planting of almost all the varieties of all types of plants, including fruit, flowers, herbal and aromatic. In this regard every year a massive plantation drives are launched during the rainy season across the country by government, private agencies and by several NGO’s Under this drive lakhs of trees are planted at pre identified places, which include premises of educational institutes, offices, barren and naked lands, parks and gardens, deforested areas, specially
created green belts, along the sides of the roads, kandi areas and so many other relevant places.
The number of saplings planted every year during this drive in Jammu region is in millions. As a result there has been an increase in forest area Jammu & Kashmir union territory. But this minor increase can be termed just satisfactory and not very encouraging, because
with the current development projects forests are losing a very significant area every day. To compensate for this loss the plantation drive and its results have to be multiplied in a big way. Otherwise, we may lose the status of being a hilly and forest union territory. Also in cities, towns and even in villages cutting of trees and concretization of green lands is being carried out at a very big level. This double loss of trees and also of green parts of land is very difficult to fill by only formal and ceremonial plantation drives. Also illegal constructions and encroachment of forest, agricultural and other lands which come under green cover are going on unabated and allegedly with the connivance of a nexus comprising politicians, bureaucrats, revenue officers and police. And above all the ever increasing urbanization is causing irreparable loss to the forests and green cover.