In Maharashtra, the green cover is only 20% against the required 33.5%. Out of a total of 307 lakh hectares, only 61.35 lakh hectares are under green cover.
The government has decided to increase Maharashtra's green cover by planting 2 crore saplings on July 1 across the state.
In Maharashtra, the green cover is only 20% against the required 33.5%. Out of a total of 307 lakh hectares, only 61.35 lakh hectares are under green cover. “The depleting green cover is one of the major causes of climate change and it is affecting the monsoon. We will plant 2 crore saplings within a day. While 1.50 crore saplings will be planted by the forest department, various government institutions will plant the rest,” said a senior government official.
He added that this move will help increase the green cover, maintain ecological and environmental balance and conserve forest.
The state cooperative, textile and marketing department has issued a circular saying that this massive tree plantation programme will be conducted in a large scale. “In every office premises, 20 saplings need to planted, 10 in each cooperative organisation office premises, 100 in each cooperative sugar mill campuses, 20 in each cotton mill premises and five in each cooperative housing society premises. Besides these locations, plantations can be done at various private firm premises under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund,” stated the circular adding that the principle secretary state forest department will co-ordinate and monitor the development of this programme.
Senior government officials said that they are also in the process of developing a software. “The identified locations for plantations will be monitored through GPS and other online facilities. The person concerned has to upload the progress of the programme. What kind of sapling has been planted, number of saplings and information of locations will be uploaded on the devoted website so that the progress can be minutely monitored by the government,” said an official requesting anonymity.
The circular further stated that at district and taluka levels, committees should be formed and nodal officers should be appointed to monitor the work. “A detailed plan will be drawn with the requirement of fertilisers, saplings and insecticide, besides digging the pitch to plant the saplings. Also, how saplings will be transported to various parts of the state, how they should be made available at reasonable prices. Th nodal officer should involve students, colleges, schools and NGOs so that they will not only help in the plantations but also put in efforts to look after the planted saplings. The tree plantation survival rate should be not less than 80-90%,” stated the circular.
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