A major afforestation drive is all set to begin this monsoon with the forest department joining hands with local bodies, industries, education and agricultural departments, social forestry, and employment guarantee scheme (EGS) under the joint forest management programme.
The idea is to plant local species, mainly fruiting plants like mango, jackfruit, amla, neem, sitafal, and jujube (bor) trees. The bodies and organisations undertake plantation will be responsible for protecting and maintaining the trees.
Deputy conservator of forests (territorial) RS Kadam told DNA, “We have a target of planting 100 crore trees all over the state, and Pune district has a target of 5 crores. In the Pune forest division, we are to plant 25 lakh saplings in 2012 and another 50 lakhs in 2013.”
Each department has been given a target of planting saplings this year.
The state would get 2.5 crore local plants in 2012 in this major tree plantation drive, which is a part of a total of 100 crore in the five year plan.
The departments that will plant trees in their area of jurisdiction will be responsible for the plantation, protection and maintenance of these plants.
“This drive will be a part of the rural employment guarantee scheme, where the unemployed people will be recruited for the plantation project, thus helping them earn their daily bread. This will benefit the people in rural areas, but it will be a little difficult to get paid labour for this work in the industrial belt,” Kadam said.
Social forestry deputy director, Anil Thorat, said, “Since we do not have a dedicated land like the forest department so we will be targeting lands of gram panchayats, canal sides, roads etc, where we will take permission and plant the saplings and also take assistance from National Green Corps (NGC).”
Thorat said, “Making of one sapling and maintenance for nine months costs us Rs11. We are making saplings for this project and not for sale yet. Social forestry will be using the strength of NGC and others and would definitely be planting trees all over the city. The target for social forestry for two years is to plant 20 lakh saplings.”
