Inaugurating the district level Van Mahotsav which culminated on Friday after the block level celebrations, district Collector Guha Punam Tapas Kumar appreciated the roles taken up by the school students of the district.
Addressing them as “guardians of the trees” in a gathering at Anjiapeta railway ground and explaining the water cycle, she asked the students to be the messengers of plantation to their peer groups, parents and guardians, besides their community at large. She informed that the district administration has taken up massive plantation drive on a convergence mode through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS), involving forest, agriculture, horticulture, block, ITDA and watershed agencies.
She applauded the efforts of the Forest department for avenue plantation. The schools have been instructed to go for more and more lime and papaya plants in their campus. The railway ground, which was a waste dump yard till recently, will be converted into an eco-park with the joint effort of the Railways and Forest department. It is a historic step for Rayagada people, said Guha.
On the occasion, hundreds of forest species and medicinal plants were planted by the Collector, the SP, the DFO and other Forest officials.
The Deputy Director of Agriculture, the Deputy Director of Horticulture, the Assistant District Education Officer and students of various schools were present.
Rayagada SP Rahul PR said his life became meaningful by beginning the day with planting of a sapling. He assured the august gathering to ally with such noble initiatives in the future. DFO Sanjiv Reddy told about the ceremonial mass plantation which led to planting of 1,12,000 seedlings in the entire district of Rayagada only this year. As many as 3,75,000 plants were distributed in the public to elicit public participation.
SP Rahul felicitated two Vana Sangrakhyan Samitis(VSSs) namely Jambu VSS of Rayagada range and Baramahal VSS of Muniguda range with Biju Pattanaik Forest Protection and Conservation Award-2017.