U.P. to plant 35 cr new trees to ensure O2 for its people
LUCKNOW : An ambitious afforestation drive is on the cards in Uttar Pradesh as the state plans to plant 35 crore saplings this year, which shall fulfil the oxygen needs of crores of its people, once the saplings are fully grown.
The state has divided this year’s plantation drive over four days, beginning from July 5, with a special focus on developing Shakti Vans dedicated to women’s empowerment. A Shakti Van will be established in each of the 75 districts.
“On July 5, we shall plant 25 crore saplings which will be a mass movement. On July 6 and July 7, 5 crore more plants (2.5 crore on each day) will be planted,” said Arun K Saxena, forest and environment minister, addressing a press conference on Thursday.
“Shakti Vans will be developed at 90 places in 75 districts, with women doing the plantation, and especially those saplings that represent women power,” said KP Malik, minister of state for forests, climate change and environment, while addressing the press conference.
“The 35 crore plants will provide oxygen for 14.36 crore people in the future. A grown-up tree provides 82,420 litres of oxygen per day, while an individual requires 550 litres of oxygen per day. Further, the saplings will absorb 18.55 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030,” said Saxena. On August 15, the state will plant another 5 crore saplings to mark Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav under which 75 saplings will be especially planted in each gram panchayat.
There are also plans to develop city forests in over a dozen cities. “The geo tagging of all the plantation sites will be done. We were doing third-party survival evaluation for plantation sites maintained by the forest department but due to Covid-19 it was not done this year. We shall try and do it again,” said Mamata Sanjeev Dubey, HoD, forests. Each planted sapling’s information will be uploaded to the Haritima-Amrut Van App. Apart from Shakti Van, there are plans to develop Bal Van for children. According to the State of Forests Report 2021, 9.23% of the total geographical area of Uttar Pradesh has forest cover. In 2013 it was 8.82%. The government has now set a target of enhancing this area to 15%.
Indigenous plants like banyan, peepal, pakad, neem, bael, amla, mango, jackfruit, and drumstick will get preference in the plantation drive. The nodal agency for plantation is the Forest Department. Besides, 26 other departments will participate in the campaign.
Asked if the state was targeting any record plantation, Mamata Sanjeev Dubey said, “We plan to increase green cover and make people aware about plantation and sensitise them to save trees. Making a record is not the target.”