20.25 cr saplings planted against this year’s target of 19.54 cr
Posted on – 11:59 PM, Mon – 12 December 22
Hyderabad: The State Forestry Department has also continued its good performance this year, planting 202.5 million saplings under the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram, against the target of 195.4 million.
With this year’s target achieved, the department is now aiming to plant 20.02 million saplings next year. To this end, district objectives have been shared with the district administration in order to plan ahead and carry out plantation activities efficiently.
Generally, the way the plantation drive is planned is to have the drill done by November-December. Like last year, this time, the department managed to plant more saplings than the set target, said Chief Forest Conservation Officer RM Dobriyal.
In February, officials will occupy boulevard plantations at identified locations along major roads and on the median if needed. But he said a lot of the focus was on regular watering during this time.
The availability and procurement of quality seedlings is key to the success of a plantation. In addition to the 500 nurseries maintained by the Forestry Department, there are 15,000 nurseries across the state, with at least one nursery in every township. These are maintained by Panchayat Raj and the Ministry of Rural Development.
All saplings are arranged for planting and distribution two months in advance. In addition to the plantation drive, there is also a focus on the survival of the saplings.
Forest and Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department officials physically inspected and geotagged the saplings planted in their respective ranges.
As well as ensuring the authenticity of plantation data, this work helps curb unauthorized tree felling. After the medical examination, department personnel uploaded the data online, Dobrial said. Regarding the survival rate of the saplings, he said the goal is to ensure an 85 percent survival rate. “We’ve been religiously pursuing our survival goals,” he said.
Over 22,000 trees to be felled in Maharashtra
While Telangana leads the way in increasing forest cover, several states are lagging behind in this regard. In fact, some states are cutting back on existing green cover rather than seeking to close the gap.
For example, in Maharashtra, more than 22,000 mangrove trees may be cut down in Mumbai and adjacent areas for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train project.
According to the State of India’s Forests Report (ISFR) 2021, Telangana increased by 632 square kilometers between 2019 and 2021, the second highest increase in forest cover in the country. Interestingly, in Maharashtra, the increase was only 20 km2.
The Mumbai High Court has reportedly given the go-ahead to the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) to cut down about 22,000 mangrove trees in Mumbai and the neighboring districts of Palgar and Thana.
However, the NHSRCL has been directed to follow the norms set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Maharashtra Coastal Region Authority in carrying out the works.
