Srinagar, July 09: Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment, Javed Ahmed Rana today inaugurated the newly constructed Officer’s Block at Deers Headquarters in Bemina, marking a significant step towards enhancing the department’s infrastructure and operational efficiency.
The ceremony was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Ecology & Environment, Sheetal Nanda, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Suresh Kumar Gupta, and other senior officers.
During the inauguration, the Minister emphasized that the new facility would streamline administrative operations and provide a modern, efficient work environment for officers.
He highlighted Omar Abdullah- led Government’s commitment to improving infrastructure, which supports better governance and citizen services, ultimately leading to better conservation and management of forests.
The Minister appreciated the Deers HQ for setting up an office suited to current times and for its efforts to improve the overall administrative efficiency of the department.
Later, he reviewed the functioning of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing and inspected the Geographical Information System (GIS) lab.
Rana underscored the importance of GIS in leveraging technology for efficient and precise tracking and management of forest resources.
He noted that GIS plays a crucial role in safeguarding J&K’s rich biodiversity and fostering sustainable development.
The GIS system captures and analyzes a range of geographical data to help departments and organizations make long-term plans regarding biodiversity richness, flood-prone areas, climate change issues, and forest fire-prone areas.
The Minister was briefed about the department’s work, including projects accomplished, ongoing works and future expansion plans.
He took a keen interest in the projects and appreciated the work done by the department on some of the pressing issues related to ecology and environment.
The officers also highlighted the issues faced by the department and sought the Minister’s intervention.
