Madhya Pradesh to start Hariyali Mahotsav to augment forest cover

11.4 mn saplings to be planted on Thursday, 70 mn during week-long scheme

With a view to augmenting forest cover in Madhya Pradesh, the state forest authorities would plant 11.4 million saplings of trees tomorrow. A total of 70 million saplings are expected to be planted during the week-long 'Hariyali Mahotsav'.

"The state government would observe 'Hariyali Mahotsav' beginning tomorrow and has asked everyone to participate in state's endeavor to increase its forest cover. The state government machinery along with private partners and agencies will plant more than one crore saplings of trees. A total of seven crore saplings will be planted across the state," said state forest minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar here today.

 

He clarified that his government was not planting these saplings to chase any record. "We will welcome any such record if some agency offers to us," he said.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will kick-start 'Hariyali Mahotasav' celebration on Thursday.

"We will give it a ceremonial shape as plantation programme will take place across the state. District collectors will participate in it and state forest officials will work as nodal officer in this mega drive," he said.

Initially, the plantation will take place in school premises, private organisations and other similar places.

"We will involve all those who want to participate in this programme," Shejwar added and said, "Survival of these saplings will depend upon climatic conditions of the particular locality."

Madhya Pradesh's forest cover came up for debate in the recently concluded state assembly session. Shejwar had defied Forest Survey of India report and defended state data on forest cover. The Forest Survey of India report has said that forest cover in Madhya Pradesh has depleted fast.

A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the recent budget session in the Assembly also said that among all forest crimes, illegal felling of trees constitutes more than 80 percent. And there were more than 300,000 forest crimes in the state during the last five years.

"The Forest Survey of India report does not have validity and we have already urged the Central government to amend the same," Shejwar said.

According to state forest department, Madhya Pradesh has a total of 94,689 sq kilometer under forest of which 61,886 sq km is reserved forest and 31,098 sq kilometer is protected forest. However, the Forest Survey of India report states that Madhya Pradesh has 77,522 sq kilometer of forest cover.