"Explore possibility of setting up bamboo processing factory": Himachal CM Sukhu

According to the release, CM Sukhu instructed the HPSFDC to equip all timber go-downs with CCTV facilities to ensure better monitoring.

He also directed to explore the possibility of setting up a bamboo processing factory in the Gagret area of the Una district to provide remunerative prices to the farmers of Una, Kangra, Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts. He asked to integrate National Transit Passes into the Corporation to facilitate the people, according to the release.

As per the release, the Chief Minister said that the HPSFDC had recorded a sale of Rs. 289.91 crore from timber, rosin and turpentine oil in the financial year 2024-25, earning a net profit of Rs. 14.93 crore.

"The sale of HPSFDC was Rs. 267 crore in the financial year 2023-24, and it earned a net profit of Rs. 7.88 crore during the year. In addition to this, it also received royalty amounting to Rs. 41.30 crore from the silviculture felling," he said, as per the release.

Vice Chairman of the H.P. State Forest Development Corporation, Kehar Singh Khachi, Along with Official and Non-official Members of the Board, Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, Principal Secretary, Finance, Devesh Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HOFF), Samir Rastogi, Managing Director of HPSFDC, Sanjay Sood, and other senior officers, also attended the meeting, as per the release.

Earlier in the day, while presiding over the 9th meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, Sukhu said that disasters pose the biggest challenges for the future and combating the adverse effects of climate change is a "pressing concern" for humanity.

The Chief Minister expressed serious concern over the rising incidents of cloud bursts in the State and said that the matter had also been raised with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. (ANI)