Deforestation threat to wildlife: Minister

Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, October 5

Wildlife is a gift from the nature and its protection is our ethical responsibility. We should plant as much saplings as possible to protect our environment.

This was stated by Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Forest Minister, Punjab, while presiding over a state-level function at the Chhatbir zoo as part of the Wildlife Protection Week celebrations.

The Forest Minister said over exploitation of natural resources and deforestation was threatening rare species, damaging environmental balance.

He further said the Beas, Ropar wetland and the Ranjit Sagar Dam had been declared conservation reserves while the Siswan forest had been declared a community reserve. “The gharial reintroduction project strives to revive endangered crocodile species in the Beas. The longest walk-in-bird aviary in India with more than 40 species has been established at the MC zoological park in Chhatbir,” the minister added.

The Forest Minister also launched a mobile app of the zoo. Dharamsot told the media that the Forest Department had removed encroachments from 8,000 acres.