By Vivek Tripathi
Lucknow, Jun 11 (IANS): After setting up a record of planting 39.53 crore saplings in three years, the Yogi government is going to set another record by planting 30 crore saplings in the year 2020-21. Of the total 30 crore saplings, 25 crore will be planted in a day, which itself will be a record.
Earlier, in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively, 5.17, 11.77 and 22.59 crore (total 39.53 crore) saplings were planted. In the year 2020-21, the target is to plant around 30-35 crore saplings. The target might be enhanced. For example, earlier this year, the target was to plant 25 crore saplings, but on the initiative of the Chief Minister, it was increased to 30 crores. If the saplings continue to be planted as per the target, 134.35 crore saplings would be planted in six years.
Preparations done in November
The government chalked out the plan for planting different plant varieties in the area as per the climatic zone. Instructions regarding this had been sent by the Chief Secretary R.K. Tiwari to all the District Magistrates, Divisional Forest Officer, Divisional Director and Chief Development Officers on November 21, 2019.
Two crore plants to be planted in Lucknow in a day
Maximum number of plants will be planted in Lucknow in a day followed by Kanpur. More than two crore plants are to be planted in a day in these two divisions. Barring Meerut, Saharanpur, Aligarh, Basti and Azamgarh divisions, more than one crore saplings are to be planted in all other divisions.
14 departments to be part of record plantation drive
Fourteen departments (Cooperative, Industry, Energy, Secondary Education, Basic Education, Higher Education, Labour, Health, Transport, Railways, Defence, Horticulture and Home Departments) will be part of the record creation effort. The Horticulture department will plant maximum 60.8 crore plants.
Two crore Sahjan trees to be planted
Considering the medicinal properties of Sahjan trees, more than two crore saplings will be planted during the entire plantation drive. Notably, Sahjan is also known as a miracle plant due to its medicinal properties. It contains 92 nutrients, 46 antioxidants, 36 anti-inflammatory, 18 amino acids and nine essential amino acids. The leaves of Sahjan are also beneficial for the animals, not only does their weight increase, the milk production also increases by 43-65 per cent.
Number of plants to be planted in a day in every division
The state administration has also given the information about the number of saplings to be planted in different divisions. In the state capital Lucknow 2,86,08,690 crore saplings will be planted. In Kanpur the figure stands at 2,03,94,940. This time Ayodhya will also witness a massive plantation drive with 1,77,88,370,saplings followed by Chitrakoot with 1,77,22,310, Devipatan - 1,66,94,280, Jhansi - 1,44,92,780, Mirzapur - 1,40,05,610, Prayagraj - 1,36,80,550, Bareilly - 1,36,23,500, Moradabad - 1,35,34,770, Agra - 1,29,59,550, Gorakhpur 1,17,14,010, Azamgarh - 96,48,260, Meerut - 94,03,240, Aligarh - 91,73,270, Basti - 78,19,530, Saharanpur - 64,80,160. In Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency Varanasi 1,29,59,561 saplings will planted.