Haryana forest department has set a target of planting 20 lakh fruit saplings under ‘Paudhagiri campaign’ during monsoon season (July, August and September) this year with the involvement of government and private school students.
In addition to this, 10 lakh timber species will also be planted in the state in collaboration with various stake holders, including farmers. The tree plantation will start with the arrival of monsoon season in July.
However, the forest department official said that forest areas in the state have been decreasing due to diversion of forest land under Forest Conservation Act to public works department and other departments concerned in order to complete the central and state government projects like widening of roads, construction of canal, completion of rail projects among others. Forest lands are transferred to the departments concerned after approval of central government.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Anil K Hooda said that State has forest cover area of around 1766 square killometres which including 769 square kilometers in CF north division, while 296 square kilometers in CF centre division, 374 square kilometers in CF south division and 326 square kilometers in CF west division.
As per the available data, in districts, the forest cover area in Panchkula is 382 square kilometers while 217 square kilometers in Yamuna Nagar, 52 square kilometers in Ambala, 44 square kilometers in Kurukshetra, 72 square kilometers in Kaithal, 68 square kilometers in Jind, 88 square kilometers in Gurugram among others.
Hooda said that with an aim to increase green cover in the state and help in stabilising environment and improvement in overall climatic conditions, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had launched a unique programme named as ‘Paudhagiri campaign’ last year.
People across the world are reeling under the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change. Deforestation among other factors which adds to the destruction of the environment is highly alarming, he said, adding this year too, under the above campaign, students studying in Class 6th to 12th of all the government and private schools would plant a sapling during three months of monsoon which start from July.
Various awareness programmes would be conducted, including in schools, villages to educate the students about the positive effects of plantation on the environment. Each student will be given a sapling from the department to plant it either in courtyard of their houses, field, parks or school or at any open space available in their proximity.
Under this campaign, 20 lakh fruit saplings will be planted by the students, he said, adding likewise, 10 lakh timber species will be planted with the help of various stake holders. Farmers will be motivated to plant samplings by conducting various awareness programmes. Four buses of the forest department would visit all the villages of the state for this purpose.
Farmers and local residents will also be motivated to nurture newly planted saplings for three years at least. At urban and semi urban localities, which do not have such land for forest development, people also will be encouraged to plant trees at their complexes.
The forest department is wholeheartedly committed to conserving and protecting the environment, he added.
