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Government of Uttarakhand
Media Center, Sachivalaya Parisar,
(Information and Public Relations Department)
4, Subhash Road, Dehradun
Press Note
E-mail : Tel.no. : 0135-2711064, Fax : 2711069
Dehradun, 15 July, 2015 Press note: 01
Secretary Sugar cane development and Sugar Industries Shri Vinod Sharma held a review meeting at secretariat today.Matter regarding off season repairing works of sugar mills, sugar cane price payment, sugar cane seed change programme, increasing the productivity of sugar cane, modernization of Baazpur and Nadei Sugar mills, setting up refined sugar plants in Doiwala and Kichha were discussed .
Secretary Vinod Sharma directed all the sugar mills to present pert-chart of off season repairing and review the progress on weekly basis. He said that works related to ETP & Fly Ash Arrestor must be completed before 30 October 2015. Additional Secretary Sugar cane development and sugar industries has been instructed to review the progress quarterly and present the progress report. Shri Sharma asserted that new method should be adopted in following sowing season of sugar cane. 4-5 feet gap should be kept between sugar cane plants. Kawanisam Batwach crop should be planted along with sugar canes. It would provide double financial benefit to the farmers along with increasing the productivity and growth of sugar cane. Farmers should be promoted to adopt the good quality seeds. Presently 13.45 lakhs quintal sugar and 3.00 Lakhs quintal Sheera has been stored in the cooperative-public sector sugar mills. Aforementioned stored sugar to be sold at earliest. Working of sugar mills should be improved in the interests of farmers and sugar mills. Effective actions to be taken to make sugar mill self-depended.
Additional Secretary apprised that 25-30 percent repairing works of co-operative and public sector sugar mills has been completed. Rate contract has been completed for required material and materials to be received late.
32.47 lakhs quintal sugar was produced from the thrashing of 315.59 Lakhs quintal sugar cane during 2014-15 season. Rs 490 Cr. have been paid against the Rs 975 Cr of sugar cane prices. Departmental officials have been instructed to make arrangements to pay dues to sugar cane farmers at earliest.
Joint commissioner Sugar cane and sugar informed about the sugar cane breeds exchange programme. Farmers are being promoted to use fast growing breeds of sugar cane like, Co-0238, Co-0239, Co-pant-3220, Co-0118 etc. During the 2014-15 thrashing season fast growing sugar cane breed covered the 28.02 percent area and normal breed covered the 70.09 percent area. 30 percent area will be covered by fast ripening sugar cane breed in coming 2015-16 year, which will be extended about 35 percent within five years.
Translated by Deepa Gaur
Dehradun, 15 July, 2015 Press note: 02
“As in other states, rivers flowing through Uttarakhand must also be removed from jurisdiction of the Forest Department and brought under the Irrigation Department. A policy should be made to regularly remove RBM which are deposited in rivers in large quantity. The policy can be made after consulting specialists, as RBM is an impediment to flood control. The pine trees which are harmful to the environment must be removed in a systematic manner and replaced with broad leaved trees.”
The Chief Minister, Harish Rawat, said this while holding a meeting with Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Prakash Javedekar, in New Delhi. During the meeting, he appealed for support from the Centre regarding several issues related to the state.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat informed Shri Javedekar that there was a ban on plastic in Hardwar, but people from all over the country carried Gangajal in plastic cans. The CM said that the most essential of commodities, such as bottles of mineral water and milk, are made available in plastic containers.
Thus, it was not practically possible to impose a complete ban on plastic. In order to curb plastic pollution, the thickness of plastic could be pre-determined. Also, it could be decided where plastic could be used and where it would not be permitted.
The CM said that the ban on plastic was causing anger and discomfort among local businessmen and Tirtha Pilgrims since they found it difficult to transport Gangajal.
The CM emphasised that it was important to formulate practical norms that were environment friendly and also did not hurt the sentiments of pilgrims visiting Hardwar.
The CM also requested approval of transfer of 59.903 (almost 60 hectares) of forest land to build the new Vidhan Building as well as Secretariat in Dehradun.
The CM added that the Union Forest and Environment had given directions to the Forest Department’s local nodal officer, officers of the revenue department and DM’s committee to hold a physical inspection of the land identified.
After the inspection, the Raipur Forest land was found appropriate and the inspection report was sent to the Union Forest and Environment Ministry.
The CM pointed out that the Indian Government in the recent past had transferred forest land in several newly formed states for development of infrastructural facilities.
He said 65 percent of land in Uttarakhand was occupied by forests and a large part of the state struggles with natural disasters.
Shifting of the Vidhan Sabha building and Secretariat to Raipur would also solve the traffic problem in the city to a large extent. The CM asked Shri Javedekar to grant approval to this important proposal at the earliest.
The CM said that rivers flowing in forest land in the state came under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department, while in other states such rivers were under the Revenue and Irrigation Departments.
He expressed the hope that the Ministry would take a positive direction in this direction and sanction the state government’s requirements.
The CM added that the proceedings on finalising a policy on removing RBM (River Bed Minerals) from rivers flowing through the state which impeded flood control were presently at the Central Government level. A decision ought to be taken on this as well, speedily.
The CM also brought to the Union Minister’s notice that the pine trees growing in Uttarakhand were a main cause of forest fire and also a threat to bio-diversity in the state. These trees soaked up a lot of moisture, thus leaving the land barren and acidic.
The state government had not been completely able to deal with the problem, despite removing leaves and using them for industrial purposes. The tree had almost become a curse.
The CM suggested making a 10 year action plan and, in the first phase, removing pine trees from the lower regions in a systematic manner and replacing them with broad leaved trees.
Shri Javedekar appreciated the suggestion and promised approval from the Forest and Environment Ministry. He asked for a detailed report to be presented before the ministry.
He said that discussions could also be held to associate MNREGA with the work of collecting pine tree leaves.
Shri Prakash Javedekar said that the plastic waste in the state must be collected and area wise units installed for recycling. These could be used to prepare thick plastic sheets which could be used as roofs in houses for a long time. CM Harish Rawat spoke about a subsidy at state government level and installation of units at local levels.
While mentioning the Gangotri Eco Sensitive Zone notification, the CM apprised him that, as per the directions of the Supreme Court, there was already a Bhagirathi River Valley Development Authority in the state in accordance with the notification.
Thus, there was no need for an eco-sensitive zone notification. Speaking about the need to regulate rafting related tourism in Shivpuri, the CM said there was already a state level initiative underway in this direction. Similarly, a project report of Rs 150 crore has been made to rehabilitate those who had encroached on the riverbeds in Dehradun.
Also present at the meeting were Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma, Resident Commissioner Shankar Dutt Sharma, Secretary, Environment, Ashok Lavasha, DG, Forest, S GabryaL and Additional DG Dr SS Negi among others.
Translated by Astha Tondon