DINDIGUL: The district administration has joined hands with the forest department, the Hindu religious and charitable endowment department, and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to achieve a Guinness World Record feat of planting six lakh tree saplings within six hours during the fourth week of December.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Collector S Visakan said the aim is to expand the district's green cover. "So far, over five lakh tree saplings have been planted block-wise in the district. The six lakh saplings will be planted over 1,017 acres across Idayakottai and Oddanchatram taluks.
Over 6,000 students from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University will volunteer for the pre-cultivation work, following which the panchayat and other departments will take over. We have set up an adequate number of borewells and other facilities with the support of other departments. A variety of saplings, including rainforest trees, medicinal trees, and fruit-bearing trees, will be planted by the student volunteers," he said.
District forest officer S Prabhu said a total of 50 tree species will be planted on the day. "It was minister for food and civil supplies R Sakkarapani who suggested the idea to set a Guinness world record to the officials. Our main attempt is to create awareness about the significance of afforestation which reverses climate change. In the future, the district will become home to a dense forest that will provide shelter for many species and help botany students to carry out research. Idayakottai panchayat has been entrusted with the maintenance of the trees," he added.