Mega tree plantation drive in UP likely on July 5

Lucknow : The mega tree plantation drive, in which 25 crore trees will be planted in a single day in Uttar Pradesh, will take place, in all probability, on July 5.

The final confirmation of the date is awaited from Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath.

Mukesh Kumar, mission director, plantation, said that to ensure the success of the drive, district-level committees, headed by District Magistrates, have been set up.

He said that the state is also preparing to create another record by planting over 150 tree species at two to three sites in the Lucknow division.

The plantation drive, however, will not be an event in view of the safety protocols for the pandemic.

“We will be maintaining the rule of social distancing during the exercise. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already given directives in this regard,” he said.

He said that over 8.7 lakh plantation sites and about 30 crore saplings are ready for plantation and are being geo-tagged.

All beneficiaries of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna will be given five saplings each and beneficiaries of other central schemes will be given one ‘sahjan’ sapling each.

Nearly 2.2 crore trees would be planted on the banks of Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Rapti, Ghaghra, Saryu, Sharda, Tamsa, Varuna, Betwa and other rivers, with 67 lakh trees being planted along the banks of Ganga in 27 districts.

The highest demand is for teak saplings – nearly 36 per cent.

The other popular trees are eucalyptus and sheesham. (IANS)