Jammu, Feb 09: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha presided over the 5th meeting of the Wildlife Board for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir at the Civil Secretariat.
The gathering was graced by esteemed officials including Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Dheeraj Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Forest, Ecology, and Environment; A. K. Choudhary, Special DG Crime; Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department; Roshan Jaggi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HoFF; and Sarvesh Rai, PCCF / Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K.
The agenda of the meeting centered around pivotal interventions for the sustainable management of the region’s rich biodiversity and the integrated development of wildlife habitats. In-principle approvals were granted to various agenda points aimed at fortifying the wildlife ecosystem.
Lt Governor Sinha emphasised the imperative of raising awareness for the protection and conservation of valuable wildlife resources. He instructed for the organisation of promotional activities to enhance the visibility of significant projects like the Jambu zoo across major public spaces.
Lt Governor Sinha reviewed the proposal for the expansion of Jambu zoo and sought an action taken report on directives issued during the preceding Board meeting.
Several agenda points were deliberated upon, including the Kandori Ski Lift in Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, the Construction of Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Centre by Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board at Bahu Conservation Reserve in Jammu, and the Chhat Zorawar Operational Track. Additionally, discussions encompassed the procurement of vehicles for Man-Animal Conflict Management, various Water Supply Schemes, and road projects.
As part of the occasion, Lt Governor Sinha inaugurated the Wildlife Office Complex at Raj Bagh, Srinagar, and unveiled a Coffee Table Book and a short film on Jambu Zoo. Additionally, a report on the Biodiversity Assessment of Wild Fauna (Mammals, Birds, and Butterflies) and Flora in Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary, Kathua, J&K, along with a booklet titled “Conservation Triumph-2024” focusing on Kashmir’s Wetland Conservation Reserves, were released.
The meeting witnessed the participation of Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Shiv Anant Tayal, Secretary of Tribal Affairs; eminent Conservationists, ecologists, environmentalists, representatives from the Army, Botanical Survey of India, National Society on Water Resources, Wetlands, and Forests, alongside other board members.
