LAHORE: With a view to developing, maintaining and maximising forest resources in a scientific, environmentally sustainable, ecologically stable and socially acceptable manner, the Punjab government has allocated Rs 475 million for developmental projects in this sector for the financial year 2012-13.

'The provincial government is fully cognizant of the fact that flora and fauna is not only helpful in environmental up gradation but also help in maintaining a moderate atmosphere in the region,' sources in the Punjab Forest Department said here on Saturday.

Talking about the strategic interventions, the department is planning for the next financial year, the sources said that resources would be utilised for afforestation of blank areas in state forests of Murree Hills, afforestation in Blank and Mesquite infested areas in Southern zone and afforestation in five irrigated plantations under agro-forestry.

'Objective of these projects is to plant up all the blank forest areas with the department and establishment of nurseries in public and private sectors,' the sources added.

Other strategic interventions planned by the government are afforestation along important highways, afforestation of forest lands retrieved from encroachers in Southern zone, aesthetic planting at Kasur-Ganda Singh Wala Road and strengthening of forestry research and education besides extending institutional support to forest department for better in house planning, management and monitoring capacity.

Rehabilitation of vegetative cover in Margalla forest, fuel wood production to combat energy crises and production of planting stock for mass afforestation are three other projects, the department plans to work on during the next year, the sources concluded.