Lucknow, June 3 (IANS): Worried over increasing deforestation in some parts of Uttar Pradesh, the state government would launch an afforestation drive, and involve schoolchildren in it, from the first week of July, officials said on Wednesday.
The plantation drive would end by September, during which every schoolchild would be given a sapling for planting.
Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan also fixed afforestation targets for all government departments, to be met in three months, officials said.
While the forest department would have to plant 1.95 crore saplings on 30,000 acres of land, the power department would plant 28,600 saplings on 44 hectares and rural development department plant 81.14 lakh saplings on 12,484 hectares.
A letter from the chief secretary on the issue has been sent to all district magistrates, divisional commissioners and the education department, officials said.