KATHUA, NOVEMBER 05, 2020:- Marking a historic move towards afforestation in UT(J&K), District Legal Services Authority Kathua today organized a plantation drive by introducing an innovative technique i.e MIYAWAKI METHOD, here at Kagrore, Basohli on Tuesday.

The plantation drive was held under the patronage of the Chief Justice, Ms. Geeta Mittal and initiative of Executive Chairman SLSA, UT (J&K), Justice Rajesh Bindal and guidance of Member Secretary SLSA UT (J&K) and overall supervision of Chairman DLSA Kathua, Pawan Dev Kotwal.

Plantation drive was organized at Kagrore, Basohli by Member Secretary DLSA Kathua Arti Mohan and Chairperson TLSC Basohli Shama Sharma in collaboration with J&KUT Forest department.

This kind of plantation technique by MIYAWAKI method is unique and second of its kind in UT of J&K where a land measuring around 8 kanal is expected to be developed into a dense forest cover. The land used for plantation has been retrived from the encroachers during the year 2017-18 by the forest department and fenced under exigency scheme in year 2018-2019 and now an effort is made to again convert it into a forest cover.

MIYAWAKI method is on planting native species and accordingly the native species of Basohli Amaltas, Arjun, Kral, Retha etc were planted and it is expected that with the aid of this technique, it will take 20-30 years to develop the land into dense forest whereas by conventional method it takes around 200-300 years.

Around 250 trees were planted and it was proposed to plant more such plants in the coming season. Around 50 persons were present there, thereby strictly following the SOPs regarding COVID-19.

A cultural programme was also organized to generate awareness among people regarding the uses of the green gold.

DFO Basohli Ravinder Singh, DYSP Vikram, BDO Basohli Ranjeet Kaur and members of local NGO Basohli, Lok Sewa Sanstha and few members of staff of forest department and staff of TLSC Basohli along with general public were also present.