Plantation drive for rejuvenation of Rispana on July 2

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 8

To garner public support for the July 22 slated mega plantation drive along banks of Rispana, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat visited Massi Fall, the origin of the river, on Sunday.

The Chief Minister has launched Mission Rispana under which more than 2.5 lakh saplings of various species will be planted on the same day on July 22 along the banks of the river starting from the Massi fall, the origin of Rispana, uptill Mothrowala, where the river leaves Dehradun.

Addressing the people, the Chief Minister said it was his government’s endeavour to revive the dying rivers in state and both Rispana and Kosi rivers had been taken up for revival in the first phase. The saplings to be planted on July 22 will include those bearing fruit, providing fodder and broad leaf ones which help in water conservation. He also appealed that the people who cannot come to Rispana to plant tree saplings can do the same in and around their houses.

Referring to the importance of water conservation, the Chief Minister said in order to keep the coming generations safe, special efforts have to be made in the direction of water conservation. He asserted that measures like rain water harvesting were being undertaken in government institutions.

He also said that his government had kept a target of completing the Song river dam for year 2020 which would help eradicate the drinking water challenges of the capital. Dehradun District Magistrate S A Murugesan and Mussoorie Dehra Development Authority’s vice chairman Ashish Srivastava were prominent present on the occasion.