The Chief Minister gave the go ahead during a review meeting with Environment and Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma, Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia and senior forest officials late last evening, a government release said today.

Sonowal asked the Environment and Forest Department to prepare an action plan for generation of Rs 1,000 crore revenue out of its own resources during the current financial year without causing any harm to the ecology and suggested the department sell off timber at the different beat offices online.

Underscoring the need for preserving the rich bio-diversity of the state, the Chief Minister directed the department to identify such areas and to take necessary steps.

Asserting "human beings survive only when trees exist," Sonowal expressed concern over the fast depletion of forest cover, the release said.

"Awareness has to be created for preservation of our state's bio-diversity. The department must involve students living in 26,000 villages across Assam in the conservation campaign to make it a success," he said.

The forest minister further asked to tour the forest areas and initiate a slew of measures to protect the reserved forests by planting trees on the fringes and to create water bodies to prevent illegal encroachment, the release said.

Sonowal also wanted the department to submit the list of encroached forest land for needful action.

Underlining the need for protection of the state's forest resources, the Chief Minister asked the department to formulate a scheme for plantation of one crore saplings.

Emphasising the need to infuse professionalism in the working of the department, Sonowal said "following the boom in construction sector, there is a huge demand for forest resources. The department has to work with a firm resolve to bring an end to all illegal business relating to forest resources."

Utilisation of forest resources, specially the sand of the Brahmaputra by the Central and State Governments as well as private sector for construction work would not only lead to steep increase in revenue mobilisation, but ensure increase in volume of water through the tributaries of Brahmaputra, he said.

Stressing on the need to make reserved forest areas as centres of tourism, Sonowal asked the department to make a study for raising fish production in the water bodies located in reserved forest areas and directed the Chief Secretary to prohibit use of small nets to protect fingerlings in the water bodies located in forest areas.

Forest minister Brahma assured effective steps would be initiated to stop rhino poaching at Kaziranga National Park and she would personally meet the people living on the fringes of the Park to create awareness on protecting the rhinos there, the release added.