Uttar Pradesh marked World Environment Day with a massive statewide plantation drive, surpassing the target of planting five crore (50 million) saplings across all 75 districts of the state on Friday, the state government said.
A total of 50,146,441 saplings were planted, said Sunil Chaudhary, principal chief conservator of forests, Uttar Pradesh and head of the forest force. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath planted the first sapling.
Adityanath planted a mango sapling at the chief minister’s residence complex, a camphor sapling at the Kukrail forest and a Parijat sapling at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan. In Kukrail forest, the plantation was named Maharishi Charak Aushadhiya Vatika.
Addressing a programme organised on the occasion, the chief minister said, “Three years ago, the prime minister had launched the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign. Inspired by him, Uttar Pradesh has continued to expand its large-scale plantation drive over the past nine years. The Prime Minister has given the world the message of “One Earth, One Family, One Future” in line with the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Following his call, all Indians are standing with nature while addressing environmental challenges.”
“In March 2017, the forest department’s nurseries could barely provide 500,000 saplings for plantation activities. Today, however, government and private nurseries together have prepared 550 million saplings,” he added.
Saplings were planted across all 825 development blocks, 762 urban local bodies, and all gram panchayats of the state to honour mothers.
The species planted included Shisham, Teak, Peepal, Pakad, Banyan, Gular, Neem, Arjun, Jamun, Guava, Tamarind, Amla, and Drumstick (Sahjan), said a press statement by Aditi Sharma, chief conservator of forests.
In July, the state will plant 35 crore saplings on a single day, which will bring the total plantation figure to over 40 crore.
“We had a target of 4.5 lakh saplings and we planted over 5 lakh saplings during the day (in Lucknow),” said Sitanshu Pandey, divisional forest officer (DFO), Awadh.
Arun Kumar Saxena, minister of state (independent charge) for forest environment, zoology, and climate change, planted an Amla sapling at Kukrail. Minister of state for forests KP Malik planted a Neem sapling.
Twenty-eight government departments planted saplings of various species suited to local climate and soil conditions at Amrit Sarovars, ponds, roadsides, expressways, riverbanks, canals, and at the gram panchayat level. City forests were developed in various urban centres.
The forest department has made arrangements to ensure these planted saplings are protected and receive adequate water, particularly until the monsoon arrives in the state, said Sunil Chaudhary, principal chief conservator of forests and head of department.
V Hekali Zhimomi, principal secretary, department of environment, forest and climate change, UP, B. Chandrakala, secretary, department of forest, Manish Mittal, secretary, department of environment, forest and climate change, Anuradha Vemuri, (principal chief conservator of forests, Wildlife, UP), Ram Kumar (Mission Director, Plantation 2026, UP), and senior officials of the UP forest department coordinated the plantation drive.
The high-performing districts included Sonbhadra (1,647,270 saplings), Lakhimpur Kheri (1,588,000), Hardoi 1,239,000, Prayagraj (1,163,000) and Sitapur (1,196,000 saplings).
