New Delhi, Nov 11 (FN Agency) Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday chaired the conference of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) to discuss various issues on wildlife and forestry issues, including the strategy to achieve the Nationally determined Contribution (NDC) targets of creating additional Carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030. “The conference was held to discuss various forestry and wildlife issues for coming up with solutions and innovative ideas to meet both local and global challenge,” the official statement said. The second part of this conference will be held on November 15, 2021.
Other important environmental issues like streamlining the approvals of forest diversion cases under Forest Conservation Act, 1980, increasing trees outside forests (ToF), increasing the incomes of the tree growers, implementation of Nagar Van Yojana and greening our urban and peri-urban landscapes, rejuvenation of rivers will also be discussed in this conference. “Strategy of States for achieving the NDC targets of creating an additional Carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030 was also on the agenda of the meeting,” said the Ministry. The statement said the conference also aims to deliberate all those important issues which are essential for Ease of Doing Business, motivating people to plant trees on fallow lands and making working conditions of the forest force best suited to challenges. The Ministry also said it will take advantage of good practices and innovative initiatives being taken by the State Governments in the areas of afforestation, forest production, wildlife management and biodiversity conservation.