Uttar Pradesh creates record with 36.21 crore saplings planted in a day

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government has set a new benchmark in its mega plantation drive by planting more than 36.21 crore saplings in a single day under the Plantation Mahabhiyan 2025.

Alongside this record, the state has also established several theme-based forests this year and is preparing to launch another special initiative on September 5, Teachers’ Day, titled “Ek Ped Guru Ke Naam” (One Tree in the Name of the Teacher).

Under the campaign “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0”, a total of 37,21,40,925 saplings were planted across Uttar Pradesh on July 9, surpassing the government’s target of 37 crore by over 21 lakh. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the drive in Ayodhya and later participated in plantation programmes in Azamgarh and Gorakhpur the same day.

Special plantations will continue under the Vishisht Van (Special Forests) initiative. On September 5, plantation drives will be organised across all forest divisions of the state in honour of teachers.

In Lucknow, retired and serving officers of the Forest Department will plant trees at Kukrail’s Smriti Vatika. Each officer will also be presented with a sapling as a token of respect. Similarly, in Varanasi, a plantation event will be held at IIT-BHU under the same theme.

Sitanshu Pandey, Divisional Forest Officer of Lucknow, said, “On Teachers’ Day, the plantation at Kukrail will not only pay tribute to gurus but will also serve as a reminder of the need to protect our environment for future generations.” Swati Srivastava, Divisional Forest Officer of Varanasi, confirmed similar arrangements at IIT-BHU.

Deepak Kumar, Mission Director of Plantation Mahabhiyan 2025, said that all forest divisions have completed preparations for the September 5 drive. “This year too, several distinctive forests have been created to spread awareness and promote community participation,” he added.