BHUBANESWAR: The Forest and Environment Department will plant six crore saplings and distribute another four crores among various institutions, organisations and public, this rainy season to increase the green cover, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday.
Attending the Van Mohatsav Week programme at a school here Naveen said cyclone Fani has caused extensive damage to Odisha’s green cover by uprooting over 22 lakh trees. “To restore the greenery the Government has launched “Post Fani Coastal Shelter Belt and Afforestation Mission” under which 80 lakh saplings will be planted,” he said.
It has also been planned to distribute 50 lakh saplings among people free of cost. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force Sandeep Tripathi said the Forest Department has opened 25 kiosks for distribution of saplings among people in Puri, Khurda and Cuttack districts. Out of these, 11 kiosks have been set up in Bhubaneswar.
At least five lakh saplings will be planted in the forest divisions of Khurda, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri with 70,000 saplings planned in the Twin City alone. “During the week, all 37 forest divisions are carrying out a plantation drive at seven locations every day,” he said.