Naveen government goes green

BHUBANESWAR: In the wake of the call given by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to people to take up plantation in a massive way, the Panchayati Raj Department has requested all district collectors to ensure that the green programme is taken up in right earnest.The Chief Minister made an appeal to the people to increase the green cover by planting trees during the monsoon while addressing the field-level functionaries of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Cuttack on July 6.While the State is observing an extended plantation week from July 1 to 11, the Chief Minister in a message to the people emphasised the importance of increasing the green cover. He urged the people to plant trees in their backyards and vacant places during the monsoon.The Government has planned to bring 2.5 lakh hectares under green cover this year which is celebrated as International Year of Forest. Special emphasis is given on avenue plantation.The Government has issued instructions to the district collectors to engage school and college students in a big way to make the plantation programme a success.The Panchayati Raj Department has also instructed the local self-governments, elected representatives of the PRIs and field functionaries of the Department to join the plantation programme.Necessary instructions have been issued to Government departments to take up plantation programme on their office premises. It has been decided that at least, 50 trees will be planted in each Government educational institution under MGNREGS and employment will be provided to three persons for 100 days. The three persons will be responsible for the survival of the saplings planted.While six crore saplings will be required to cover 2.5 lakh hectares as planned for the current year, another two crore saplings will be supplied to the people under the farm forestry programme. The Forest Department will charge ` 1 per sapling under farm forestry. As such, the present forest cover in Orissa stands at 31.06 per cent according to the Forest Survey of India as against  required 33 per cent mandated by the National Forest Policy, 1988.The Government has decided to take up plantation programme on a massive scale in industrial hubs too.