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Under the 'Green Udhampur' mission, the Forest Department in Udhampur district has launched a large-scale reforestation drive to restore areas severely damaged by flash floods and heavy rainfall in August 2025.
Following the devastation that led to significant loss of forest cover and damage to revenue land, the department's central nurseries in the Mand and Pangra areas are cultivating and distributing over 80,000 saplings. The initiative focuses primarily on flood-affected zones, with special emphasis on fast-growing species to accelerate ecological recovery. The drive also includes public outreach and awareness campaigns to encourage community participation in rebuilding the green cover. Range Officer, Department of Forest, Udhampur, Ayush Gupta, said that the department acted swiftly after the natural calamity to mitigate environmental damage and involve the public in restoration efforts. "In August and September, a major tragedy struck, causing significant damage to forest and revenue areas, including land and trees, due to flash floods. Our senior officers issued guidelines to meet with people. To address this, we conducted awareness campaigns with the public and motivated them to plant trees," Gupta said. He added, "People were provided with fast-growing species like eucalyptus. We have focused more on flood-affected areas and distributed 80,000 to 85,000 plants to ensure rapid restoration of the damaged ecosystem." Another green initiative, such as horticulture and sustainable forestry, is also visible in other districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Rajouri is currently undergoing a horticulture revolution as local farmers shift from traditional cereal crops to ultra-high-density fruit farming. According to a local Irshad Ahmad, many plantations have been established in the region, which have reflected considerable growth. He also requested that people join the department in order to benefit from the initiative. "We have 3-4 greenhouses and a nursery... Many plantations have been established here, reflecting considerable growth... All thanks to our dedicated officers... Additionally, we have planted pears and walnuts and implemented ultra-high-density planting... Our main request to the people is to join our department to benefit from this initiative," Ahmad told ANI. Meanwhile, Horticulture Development Officer Anil Sharma highlighted that the people are not generating enough income from maize and other crops. He mentioned that progressive farmers of the state are generating good income by implementing high-density farming. Sharma noted that the purpose of his visit was to educate some of the farmers, as well as others. (ANI)
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