UP govt targets to increase forest, tree cover to 15% by 2030, to plant 175 cr saplings in 5 yrs

Lucknow: According to the State of Forest Report 2021, 9.23 per cent of the total geographical area of Uttar Pradesh has forest cover. In 2013 it was 8.82 per cent.

According to the report, there has been an increase of 91 square kilometres in the total forest cover and tree cover

during 2019.

The government has now set a target of further enhancing this area to 15 per cent by 2030. For this, the government has set a target of planting 175 crore saplings in the next five years. And for this, the Yogi government is doing intensive plantation during the rainy season since its first tenure. As a result, 101.49 crore saplings have been planted with the efforts of the government between 2017-18 and 2021-2022.

Looking at the progress year after year, the target is bigger and for this very reason, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wants more and more people to join the plantation drive so much so that it shapes up into a mass movement. This is the motive behind schemes like Navagraha Vatika, Nakshatra Vatika, Panchavati, Gangaavan, and Amritvan.

Indigenous plants like Banyan, Peepal, Pakad, Neem, Bael, Amla, Mango, Jackfruit and Drumstick will get preference during the plantation drive. The intention of the government is that the plantation during the rainy season should be according to the agro-climatic zone of the area concerned.

A plantation campaign will be carried out by keeping 29 species and 943 heritage trees at the centre of different districts. In this, along with the national tree Banyan, indigenous plants like Peepal, Pakar, Neem, Bael, Amla, Mango, Jackfruit and Drumstick will be accorded priority.

27 departments including the forest department together make the mission 35 crores successful.

The nodal agency for plantation is the Forest Department. But apart from the forest department, 26 other departments will participate in the grand campaign of the plantation. The target of each department is already set. In this respect, the highest target of 12.60 crores and 12.32 crore is for Forest and Rural Development Department respectively. Apart from this, the target of the Agriculture Department and Horticulture Department is 2.35 crore and 1.55 crore saplings respectively.

Environmental fighters will also have an important role

Environment fighters will play an important role in making this campaign a success. Farmers and beneficiaries of Prime Minister's award in the environment, Ganga watchdogs, empowered force, women, disabled, low-income group, visually impaired, MNREGA job cardholder, self-help group, village level and city development worker, forest worker, tribal-forest, Chief Minister Abhyudaya Yojana beneficiaries, teacher-students and women will also be involved in the plantation process.