Himachal to deploy drones to check illegal felling, mining, encroachments

(Photo: SNS)


The Himachal Pradesh government will deploy drones to monitor illegal felling of trees, illegal mining to check crimes.

The remarks were made by Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh while presiding over the 5th meeting of the steering committee of HP State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

The Chief Secretary instructed the officers that drone cameras should be used to monitor illegal cutting, illegal mining, encroachment, etc.

“To prevent these crimes in the forest department, front line staff of the department should be trained to use drone cameras and standard operating procedures for monitoring forests through drone cameras should be prepared.

The additional budget should also be arranged in CAMPA to purchase drone cameras and for the training of front-line staff,” he added.

He was also directed to complete the worklist of the proposed annual action plan for the year 2022-23 under CAMPA within the stipulated time period.

He reviewed the action taken at the 4th Steering Committee meeting and discussed various issues of the proposed Annual Action Plan for the year 2022-23.

Chief Conservator and Chief Executive Officer CAMPA Rajesh Sharma presented before the Steering Committee the work list of the works done during the last three years in the Forest Department under Himachal Pradesh State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority and proposed annual action plan for the year 2022-23.