Forest dept providing saplings to MLAs on requisition: Min

Kolkata: State Forest minister Birbaha Hansda said on Wednesday that her department is handing over saplings to those MLAs who sent requisition for the same and not to all the 294 legislators in the state.

The minister informed the House that the forest cover in Bengal has increased by 21 per cent in the last decade starting from 2011. The green cover that spanned 5242 sq km in 2011 rose to 6345 sq km in 2021, according to the Forest Survey of India report.

“Last year, the department announced handing over saplings to all MLAs during the ‘Bana Mahotsav’. However, it was found that many of them did not turn up for the same. Hence, we took a decision that in this year saplings will be handed over only to those lawmakers who demand for the same. We will also keep track of whether the saplings distributed are being nurtured properly,” Hansda said during the question answer session in the state Assembly.

The minister, however, made it clear that the legislators need to play a proactive role in taking proper care of the saplings. “The MLAs are supposed to take up the responsibility of putting a fence around the place where saplings are planted to protect it from herbivorous animals and using fertiliser for the saplings growth,” said the minister in response to some legislators urging the Forest department to put up fence or provide fertiliser at the time of sapling-distribution.

Hansda claimed her department has enough stock to supply more than 1,000 saplings if any lawmaker so requires it for plantation. The saplings given by the Forest department are primarily sal, segun, mahogany etc that grow in the forest areas. She sought cooperation from all MLAs to join hands with the department in plantation drive for conservation of environment.