Forest Dept sets target to plant 9.5L saplings in Karnal

District Forest Officer (DFO) Pawan Kumar Sharma said the Forest Department had set a target to plant 9.5 lakh saplings across the district this year. These saplings will be planted with the cooperation of school students, under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, at government offices, on farmlands and across department’s land.

He said any citizen can collect free saplings from any of the eight nurseries operated by the department in the district. These nurseries offer a variety of saplings including fruit-bearing trees as well as shade-providing varieties such as neem, peepal, and banyan.

Sharma urged all citizens to come forward and plant as many saplings as possible to contribute to environmental preservation.

He said 2.5 lakh saplings would be planted on forest land, 3.5 lakh saplings will be distributed for plantation on farmers’ fields, while under the Paudhagiri campaign, 45,000 saplings will be distributed to school students. As part of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, 1.10 lakh saplings will be planted, while 1.15 lakh saplings will be distributed free of cost to the general public.Sharma shared that saplings could be collected from the nurseries at Kambopura, Manak Majra, Indri Escape, Malikpur, Gharaunda, Balu, Mangalpur, and Rangrutikhera. He further said the department would provide saplings of Neem, Peepal, Banyan, Pilkhan, Arjun, Sheesham and others.