Bhopal: As part of the National Water Transformation Action Plan, more than 20,192 hectares of forests have been treated in the Green India Mission Scheme. As many as, 722 micro water sheds spread over 7.35 lakh hectare area of 18 forest divisions of 14 districts of the state have been identified, which are overwhelmed by threats of climate change.
Additional principal chief conservator of forests Lal Singh Rawat said that, under the Green India Mission Plan, landscape-based treatment is being done for such areas which are likely to be adversely affected by the effects of climate change and global warming. Due to the degradation of such forest areas, local communities dependent on forests also face economic crisis. Rawat said that the micro water shed spread over such areas has been identified by scientists.
Backward beneficiaries
Along with this, social, economically backward beneficiaries of the local community dependent on these forests are being identified to provide them with alternative means of employment.
The forest department has identified 4,022 beneficiaries of 151 villages of the state for alternative employment in the Green India Mission Scheme, according to their requirement. Training in tailoring, bee-keeping, poultry, JCB operating, fisheries, cans and handicrafts-making has been imparted through local joint forest management committee and in such activities as mask-making. So far, 3,461 beneficiaries have also got employment.
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