DIMAPUR, July 7 � Nagaland will soon have its Forest Management Plan for 82.27 per cent of the 16,579 sq km forest cover in the State. The Forest Department on Thursday began an intensive training for officials and staff to set up survey teams for preparation of the Plan.
Addressing the inaugural session of the training programme, Minister for Forest & Environment and Excise MC Konyak pointed out that without proper statistical data it would be difficult to make any actual plan to manage the forest cover.
He said Nagaland�s mainstay has been agriculture and forest followed by animal husbandry since time immemorial.
�Let this be an awakening exercise to find out the exact statistical record of our forest and also the species available,� he said, adding that the venture would give a new dimension to the management of forestry in the State.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Dr CL Goel said a total of 12,161 sample plots are to be surveyed in all the 11 districts.
However, he informed that the survey would begin with about 808 sample plots.
Secretary for Forests Elusing Meru called upon the trainees to rise to the call of duty and prove themselves. He also said the bamboo cover of the State can earn substantial amount of revenue amounting to crores of rupees if the right market is achieved.
Deputy Director, Forest Survey of India, S Sen Gupta, said Nagaland is the first State which has come up with enumeration of the entire forest cover in one go.
