Mega tree plantation drive organised
SHILLONG: A mega Tree Plantation Festival under the Chief Minister’s Youth for Green Campaign Mission Green under the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Programme (IBDLP) was organized on Wednesday with tremendous success as the target of planting 7,00,700 tree saplings was successfully achieved.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said that the target was 7,00,700 saplings but they were able to achieve the target of 7,11,060 saplings planted in a single day within East Khasi Hills district alone covering all the eight C&RD Blocks in the District.
The Mega Tree Plantation Festival was organized by the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills District in collaboration with the Forest and Environment and the Soil and Water Conservation departments at Lait Thiepbah near the Sacred Grove, Mawphlang.
In Mawphlang Block about 22,000 saplings were planted. The saplings include varieties of indigenous species like Champa, Eucalyptus, Neem, Pine, Silver Oak, Pooma, Hoolock, Alder and many others which are suitable to the climatic conditions of the region.
Under this mission, efforts are also made to ensure sustainability of the plantation through various modes of intervention.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the Chief Minister’s Youth for Green Campaign was launched in 2012 with the main aim of involving the youth force in the efforts of the Government to conserve and protect the environment particularly the forest areas.
Sangma further said that Mission Green has a broad spectrum of approach for environment protection one of which is community participation where the village community is urged to enhance green cover within their village by planting trees in empty spaces, barren lands and school compounds even as he also urged the heads of educational institutions to participate in this effort by raising tree nurseries in their schools and colleges so as to have a storehouse of tree saplings.
He also announced another new initiative of the State Government called ‘Mission Green’ through which efforts will be made to preserve and protect the environment.
He informed that one of the components of Mission Green is the Mission Organic under which 20,000 hectare of land has been identified during the year 2014-2015 for undertaking organic farming exclusively.
This he said will cultivate the habit of consuming healthy organic food, even as he urged farmers to extend their cooperation and also partner with the Government in achieving the targets of Mission Green.
“Whatever our activities are, we should ensure that it does not have any adverse effect on the environment. Even farming nowadays is harmful not only to the environment but also to the people as pesticides, insecticides and un-natural fertilizers are used for better yield, these foods eventually ends up on our dining tables and cause health problems,” said Sangma while advocating the practice of organic farming which is healthy and safe for the environment.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Home Minister Roshan Warjri, Chairperson of Meghalaya Employment Regeneration Council D.D. Shira, Government Chief Whip R.V. Lyngdoh, Parliamentary Secretary and local MLA Kennedy Khyriem, local MDC L. Blah, Chief Secretary P.B.O. Warjri and East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal, among others.