Over 13 lakh plantations to be planted in Jeypore division

Over 13 lakh saplings would be planted by Odisha's forest department in Jeypore division in Odisha during 2016-17, a forest official said today.
Jeypore forest division comprises Jeypore, Borigumma, Kundura, Boipariguda and Gupteswar forest ranges and the saplings would be planted over 50 hectares under 'Amo Jungle Yojana'. As many as 85 Vana Surakya Samities (VSS) will be involved in the programme, they said.
"We have identified some villages in each of the forest ranges and asked villagers to pick trees of their choice. Saplings of teak, sisu, gambhari, mango, amla and jamun plants are being raised in our nurseries and these will planted on the identified lands," said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Jeypore, A K Kar.

The DFO said the saplings would also be planted in areas denuded owing to felling or uprooting of trees.
"The samities have been made aware about the importance of forests for villagers survivability," he said.
Kar said the preliminary work has been completed and the saplings will be planted with the onset of monsoon.
Rampant felling of trees by timber mafias and for widening of NH-326 has taken a toll on the forest cover of Jeypore division.
"Despite manpower shortage, we are taking steps to check illegal felling of trees. Over 30 smugglers have been nabbed in the last few weeks," the DFO added.