Haryana Forest Dept to plant 3 crore saplings

By Haryananewswire

CHANDIGARH, JULY 13

Haryana Forest Department is planting the targeted three crores saplings during the current monsoon season.

While stating this today, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest Department Mr. Ramender Jakhu   said that these saplings were being planted either on the government land , panchayti land or   other vacant  land. The Forest Department would assist those Panchayats, departments, organization or others who would carry out such plantation.

       He said that the Forest Department has identified many such places in the State where the forest area and number of trees would be increased by way of plantation. He said that the area under forest has also been reduced due to the fast pace development, widening of roads, doubling of rail routes and urbanization. To compensate this, the department has prepared an action plan under which ‘Van Chetna Yatra’ would be flagged off from Chandigarh on July 22 to sensitize the people about the significance of forests. This Cheta Yatra would cover every district and area  of the State and would sensitize the people by way of street plays and other mediums of publicity, he added.

        He said that the population of Haryana is 2.25 crore and if everybody plant only one sapling the number of plants could increase by one crore. He stressed that the message of ‘ Ek Vriksh Lagaye Zindagi Bachaye’ should reach   every household and said that a drive was being launched to save trees. He said that it was important to plant trees twice in number  than the number of trees chopped.  

        Mr. Jakhu has appealed to the people to make   occasions  like birthday, wedding, marriage anniversary, any special achievement, festivals and other social activities more memorable by planning saplings. He said that for the safe future of people, animals and birds, it was essential to increase the area under forest. He urged the people to understand its significance and undertake this work as a mission. He said that decrease in number of plants not only resulted in different kind of diseases but also led to depleting water table.