RANGAMATI, Jan 25: As the access of forest officials has been ensured in the forest hills on restoration of peace following the signing of the peace accord, the Chittagong Hill Tracts South Forest Division (CHTSFD) has undertaken a plan to plant trees on 900 acres of denuded hills associating tribal forest villagers, headmen and karbaris in the participatory afforestation programme for the first time in the hilly region, reports BSS.

The third phase of the state forest afforestation and Jhumia Rehabilitation Project, a participatory afforestation programme, undertaken at a cost of Taka 280 crore, scheduled to be implemented during 1995-2000 was facing an absolute impasse as there was virtually no access of the forest officials in the forest areas due to prevailing insurgency, Tapan Kumar Dey, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of CHTSFD told at his office at Bonorupa on Saturday.

Necessary steps have already been taken for collection of seeds and raising of nursery to implement the programme properly in the inaccessible forests of Alikhiong, Farua, Sangrachhari and Kaptai ranges of CHTSFD ensuring reservation of 30 per cent share for the participators and 70 per cent for the department in, DFO said.

While detailing the quantum of shares, Tapan Dey said the tribal forest villagers who will raise plantation with the allround supports and supervisions of the department will gate 15 per cent since its introduction in the country.

Cent per cent out turn of the 'first thinning' from the 'to-be raised plantation' will be given to the participators followed by 50 per cent each from the second and third thinning, the DFO said, adding that after the maturity of the plantation, 30 per cent from the final yield will be distributed among the participators in addition to the thinned produces.

CHTSFD, one of the major territorial forest division in the country, comprising seven territorial forest ranges - Karnaphuli, Katai, Alikhiong, Farua, Sangrachhari, Shubhalong and Borkal - possesses forest resources worth hundreds of crores with virgin forests on a vast tract of hills rearing century-old valuable trees like teak, garjan, champaphul, chapalish, telsur, jarul and hundreds of other species of shrubs and plants.