Kukrail forest reserve set to go greener
LUCKNOW: The state capital’s favourite picnic spot, the Kukrail forest is all set to go greener, courtesy the district administration and Akansha Samiti that jointly launched a massive plantation drive on Monday
District administration officials said the drive would give a fillip to the state government’s plan to establish a grand biodiversity centre at the forest reserve.
“It’s a massive drive, covering a large area in the 5,000 acre forest that lies within the city limits,” said Kaushal Raj Sharma, district magistrate.
District administration officials along with members of Akansha Samiti carried out the plantation drive. Their family members also took part.
The DM said the plantation drive was a part of ‘Van Mahotsav’ and directed forest department to ensure the growth of the plants to make the drive a success. He said similar drives would also be carried out in around 41 villages along the river Gomti. “Around 1.11 lakh saplings would be planted to give a green cover to the villages,” he said.
Sharma said planting trees would not only help in holding the soil but also in keeping the river and air clean.
“We have also shortlisted places in BKT, Gosaiganj, Malihabad and other villages situated along the Gomti,” he said.
He has also directed the panchayati raj officer, chief development officers and tehsildars to divide the entire area in various sectors to carry out the drive effectively. He said the drive would be different from others as a committee would ensure proper care of saplings.
To note, in last year’s Van Mahotsav, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had directed the forest department to develop Kukrail as an ecotourism spot.
In this year’s budget, the state government had allocated Rs 20 crore for the establishment of a tourism and bio-diversity centre to boost eco tourism in the state capital.