Chennai, Dec 3 (IANS): The Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu will be planting six lakh tree saplings in order to improve the green cover in the district in a span of six hours.

The move is likely to fetch the district a Guinness World record.

The saplings to be planted include medicinal plants, fruit-bearing trees and rainforest trees.

The district administration is joining hands with Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Department, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and Tamil Nadu Forest Department to achieve the feat.

The six lakh saplings will be planted on 1,017 acre across Oddanchatram and Idayakottai taluks of the Dindigul district. The district has already planted five lakh tree saplings block-wise.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University students will do the preliminary work, including pre-cultivation works. The district administration has already set up borewells and other facilities with the support of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and Waterworks Department.

Dindigul District Collector, S. Vishakan told IANS, "The project is aimed to increase the green cover of the district and this is a follow-up of the five lakh saplings that have already been planted."

The Forest Department of the district is actively involved in procuring the saplings along with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and HR&CE Department.

Dindigul District Forest Officer, S. Prabhu told IANS, "The idea is to plant six lakh saplings in six hours and this is to create awareness on the impact of trees and how it reverses climate change. In future, the district will be abode to dense forest that will provide shelter to several species."

The Forest officials said that Idukottai panchayat has been given the responsibility to maintain the trees.