Madhya Pradesh is all set to break its own record by planting six crore saplings on a single day on July 2. In 2014, the Forest department had set a record by planting 1.43 crore saplings on a single day.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while talking to media persons here on Thursday said that the State government is all set to plant six crore saplings. Pits for these saplings and saplings of different categories have already been arranged on the basins of Narmada river.

Besides from Madhya Pradesh, saplings have also been arranged from Maharashtra, Gujarat and a few other States.

The Narmada basin comprises 24 districts and thus arrangements have already made there for plantation. Chouhan informed that the plantation programme has been taken as a campaign, because this helps in making things achievable. The plantation would continue even after July 2, he added.

 Additional Chief Secretary of Forest department Deepak Khandekar, who was present on the occasion, told that the plantation programme has also been associated with the employment, so that people get associated with it.

“Paudh Rakshaks (plant savers) would be appointed and they would be given per day remuneration prescribed under MNREGA,” he added.

Narmada covers 1077 km in Madhya Pradesh. The districts falling under Narmada basin are- Dindori, Mandla, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Hoshangabar, Raisen, Sehore, Harda, Dewas, Khandwa, Khargone, Dhar, Barwani, Alirajpur, Anuppur, Balaghat, Katni, Damoh, Sagar, Seoni, Chhindwara, betul, Indore and Burhanpur.

 Khandekar informed hat by June 28, 5.89 lakh people have already been registered online. Besides, there are off line registration too.

These people would be assigned particular time and place for planting saplings.

 The State Government has also involved social organisations like Gayatri Parivar, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Narmada Sewa Samiti, and trusts run by spiritual and religious heads.