Haryana Minister asks officials to create land banks by purchasing land from panchayats

Gurugram, May 1 (IANS) Haryana's Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, on Wednesday, directed the officials to create land banks by purchasing land at collector rate from the panchayats of the state that have more than 100 acres of land.

The Minister said this while chairing a review meeting with senior officials of the department regarding the plantation works proposed during 2025-26.

He discussed in detail the plantation activities of the current financial year and other related topics and gave necessary instructions.

He said instead of planting maximum saplings, attention should be paid to saving, irrigating, and nurturing plants and trees.

"It is important to pay attention to the nutrition and health of the plants in the nurseries of the state so that in future they become a fruit-flowering-leafy plant or tree," Singh said.

Discussing the issue of water conservation, the Minister said that attention should be paid to Shivaliks, Aravallis and other such areas where small dams can be built at low cost.

He said in every district of the state, such areas of 5 to 100 acres should be identified that can be developed as oxy-van areas.

Such areas should be developed, and trees like peepal, neem and banyan should be planted, he added.

He directed the officials to prepare a proposal to create one urban and one rural oxy-van in every district.

He also took information about the activities to be carried out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority.

Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Forest and Wildlife Department, Anand Mohan Sharan; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Vineet Garg, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Atul Sirsikar and senior officers of the department were present in the meeting.

--IANS

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