SRINAGAR: On the eve of Chinar Day celebrated every year on 15th of March, the Forest Department has undertaken the establishment of a Chinar Gah over an area of 100 Kanals in Biodiversity Park Harran Ganderbal.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF, Dr. Mohit Gera; Director J&K Forest Research Institute, Asaf Mehmood, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P.K. Pole and Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, T. Rabi Kumar was present on the occasion who planted a sapling each.
130 Chinars were planted in association with stakeholders viz. School children, paramilitary forces, councilors, NGOs and officers of various Departments to commemorate the completion of 130 years of existence of J&K Forest Department.
Besides, in order to celebrate ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, 75 species of medicinal plants are being raised in the Herbal Garden.
Conservator of Forests Srinagar Circle conveyed that the Biodiversity Park Dagpora, Harran will not only have Chinar Gah, Herbal Garden but will have sections for all the willow species found in Kashmir. Further there will be segments for some 20 rare and endangered species found in the valley.
On the occasion a painting competition was held and prizes were distributed to the school children.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Divisional Commissioner and Director FRI also flagged-off vehicles with male poplar clones for their distribution to farmers in various Forest Divisions under ‘Har Gaon Haryali’ scheme.
Later, a road map for Geo-tagging of Chinars was shared and vegetative multiplication Garden of Chinars was inaugurated in the adjacent Dagpora Research Station of FRI.
Director FRI briefed about various initiatives taken up by JKFRI and Biodiversity Council for improvement and conservation of floral diversity of Kashmir.
The team also inspected the City Forest Manasbal being developed over an area of 100 hectares of degraded land overlooking the famous Manasbal Lake. The project is being executed by DFO Sindh Forest Division Ganderbal under CAMPA funds and shall improve the aesthetic and environmental health of the lake in due course of time.

KR Desk