Monthly ‘green chaupals' in villages to boost plantation at grassroots
The govt order specifies that in case of a state holiday on the specified day, chaupal should be held on the next working day.
Among many objectives of these chaupals is to sensitise people on environment conservation and develop every village as a green village, plant trees, harvest rainwater, carry out organic farming, use solar power, and adopt an environmentally sustainable way of life.
It is for the first time that the govt will constitute green chaupals, first at gram panchayat level and then in urban local bodies. With the GO already issued and communicated to districts, their constitution will now start.
"We may integrate it with carbon credits in future, and give green fund to villages with plantations on their gram sabha land, by assessing and evaluating carbon credits generated by them. The fund can be used for environment cause," said APCCF (project), UP Forest, Ramkumar.
"If people face problems in getting access to environment-related schemes implemented by govt departments, these chaupals will ensure that problems are brought to the notice of officers concerned," he said.
Publicity material on schemes related to environment conservation implemented by different govt departments will be distributed in chaupals.
A green chaupal, headed by gram Pradhan, will have 12 members. Section or beat officer of the forest department will be the member secretary, while the gram panchayat secretary will be the coordinator.
Three gram panchayat members, a woman from an SHG, principal of a primary school, anganwadi helper, rozgar sewak, progressive farmer, representatives of NGOs working in environment sector, representative of biodiversity management committee, and local level officers from govt departments will be the other members.
Divisional forest officers will coordinate with other departments for smooth functioning of chaupals. The performance of chaupals will be reviewed every month by CDOs and district plantation committees.
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