Planting 7,00,700 trees in a day
SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills is attempting to break an environmental record, for the most tree saplings planted in a day on July 30.
The district administration plans to plant as many as 7,00,700 tree saplings on that day.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said that the effort has been considered by the Limca Book of Records for their Edition of 2016. However the final call and decision would be taken only after the plantation drive is over on July 30 and after getting the final figure.
He said that the district administration has also contacted the Guinness World Record Authorities and feedback from them is awaited.
“It is an attempt to regain lost greenery and making afforestation a people’s movement,” he said.
Since International Friendship Day will also be celebrated on July 30, the theme of the Plantation Drive is also ‘Pledge Friendship with Nature and to Pledge to Make Meghalaya Green’, he said.
Tagged as the Mega Tree plantation festival, the campaign is aimed at sensitising the public especially the youth about the green cause as envisaged under the umbrella programme of Mission Green of the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Programme of the state government.
Goyal said that 7,00,700 tree saplings will be planted at multiple locations identified in all the 8 rural development blocks of the district.
“The plantation will be done by the public at large, by local communities, government servants and college and school children which will make it largely a people’s led plantation drive,” Goyal said.
It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mukul Sangma will inaugurate the festival from Leit Thiepbah near Mawphlang Sacred Grooves on that day at 9am.