Jammu, March 14 Director General of the Territorial Army, Lt Gen Girish Kalia, visited the 'Chinar Eco Warriors' ecological battalion in Samba district on Saturday to review its role in the greening of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said.
The program is being implemented in close collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Forest Department under projects funded by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the spokesman said.
During the visit, the director general was briefed on the battalion's initiatives involving afforestation, ecological rejuvenation, and community outreach across the Union Territory.
Lt Gen Kalia praised the unit's commitment to environmental stewardship. He noted that the battalion's efforts have encouraged ecological responsibility among children, youth, and local communities.
The director general commended the battalion for its work in reviving awareness about India's heritage trees, many of which hold profound historical significance and were silent witnesses to the nation's freedom struggle.
He commended the initiative to educate the local populace about the ancient botanical treasures of medicinal plants and indigenous tree species, thereby reconnecting communities with the rich ecological wisdom embedded in India's traditional knowledge systems.
The DG particularly praised the innovative collaboration between the Chinar Eco Warriors and the State Forest Department in promoting the Miyawaki techniques of medicinal tree plantation, through which clusters of medicinal tree species are being distributed and planted across villages and forest areas.
Such forward-looking initiatives, he foresaw, not only accelerate ecological restoration but also open avenues for value-added forest produce and sustainable income generation for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, thereby harmonizing environmental conservation with socio-economic development.
He also applauded the Officers and personnel of the unit for pioneering the adoption of the Kokedama method of plant cultivation, an eco-friendly technique that replaces conventional plastic and clay pots.
This innovative approach significantly reduces plastic usage and top soil conservation, while promoting aesthetic and sustainable plant cultivation, he said.
The DG said the initiative resonates strongly with the global call of the United Nations to "Beat Plastic Pollution" and supports the broader objectives of Government of India’s directives of climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability frameworks.
He expressed profound admiration for the professionalism, dedication, and ecological vision displayed by the officers and personnel of the Chinar Eco Warriors, observing that their tireless efforts represent a unique confluence of national service, environmental guardianship, and community empowerment.