9 crore trees to be planted across UP

LUCKNOW: In what would be the biggest plantation target for a day, UP will plant 9 crore trees on August 15.
Overall, the state will get 11.2 crore saplings added to its green cover by August 15, said state forest minister Dara Singh Chauhan.

Initially, UP was to plant 9 crore trees by August 15. Of these, 5 crore were to be planted on August 15 itself.

However, chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced from the stage in Barabanki on July 6 during a Van Mahotsav programme that 9 crore trees would be planted on a single day on August 15. As a result, the department had to revise its order and a revised GO was issued on August 4.

While 6.9 crore trees will be planted by 22 government departments, the nodal department, forest, will plant 4.3 crore trees. The plantation will be made on boundaries of agricultural fields, sports grounds, gram sabha land, school premises and private land.

The minister ensured that there will be no shortage of funds for the drive. Every department has already been ordered to keep aside 0.5% of its annual budget for plantation.

Principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), wildlife, SK Upadhyay said the state has more than 12 crore saplings available in forest, horticulture and private nurseries.

A cabinet meeting on Tuesday would decide which minister and VIP would plant in which district, said Chauhan.

The Yogi government aims to increase the state's green cover from 9.1% at present to at least 15% by the end of its tenure. The state had planted 6 crore trees last year.