Bihar all set to increase the forest cover

PATNA: The Bihar government has come out with a massive scheme to increase the Bihar’s forest/tree cover area from 9.89 percent to 15 percent in five years. To make the scheme a success, the forest department would now work in tandem with the rural development department, said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. The forestation scheme would be formally launched by chief minister Nitish Kumar on the World Environment Day, June 5.

In the new scheme of things, school students and poor families would be involved in the massive tree plantation drive under MNREGA, Modi said and added that the existing Chhatra Vriksharopan Yojana would be given a new shape to make forestation plan a great success. This year alone the government is planning to plant 10 crore trees in different parts of the state. In fact, the government has adopted the tree plantation scheme formulated by Tirhut divisional commissioner S M Raju, who has done excellent job in the field.

The tree plantation job would now be entrusted to 8,500 Eco Clubs formed by the Pollution Control Board. About 40-50 school students are enrolled in each Club Though the Central government gives Rs 2,500 per year to each Club for planting tress in the surrounding areas, the state government has also decided to link the scheme with MNREGA so that the poor who normally do not get job in rainy season would be able to earn money during that period. The state government would give money to each student who is part of the Club.

The students would not be given any individual task, but the plantation job would be assigned to a group of five students from Class VI to Class X. Girls, however, would be given priority. The students would not only plant the trees, but would also take care of watering and proper upkeep of the saplings so that the plant could grow. Each schoolboy would be given Rs 100 per year for taking care of the plant while the sapling would be provided by the government. Each group would plant 10 trees and take care of it for three years.

Modi said that the trees would be planted on school campus, road or highways side and religious places, but at no cost money would be given for planting trees in any individual’s house. Only fruit-bearing or wood-oriented trees would be planted. He said that the school which excelled in this drive would be rewarded at state level. Since the monsoon is soon to arrive, Modi said, the plantation would start in July.

Tree plantation would be given top priority as each panchayat would be directed to plant at least 6,000 trees. Modi said that four BPL families of the same community would look after a cluster of 200 trees. One hand pump would be sunk for every 200 plants so that proper watering could be done. “We are committed to make a green Bihar,” he asserted.