The Forest Department here has chalked out a plan to undertake a mass plantation drive during the current season with a budget of Rs2.5 crore within next two months.
The department plans to undertake block plantation in 50 hectares of land, besides plantation in 215 hectares of land under assisted natural regeneration (ANR). Further, it has a target of distributing 5 lakh seedlings among institutions and private people in the current season.
The district has raised saplings in its own nurseries across the district. Besides 23 nurseries with varieties of seedlings, including fruit bearing, shade bearing, timber and fire wood, it has a nursery for medicinal plant at Vellora.
“Casuarina , Sal , Asan and other timber varieties would be planted in the block as well as under the ANR plantation scheme,” said DFO Harsh Bardhan Udgata.
“Under the avenue plantation to be carried out in the urban area, especially along the road between Jaleswar and laxmannath, the budget allotment is Rs2.5 crore,” he informed, adding that the seedling distribution as well as plantation have already started and the target would be accomplished by the end of August.
The common seedlings would be given at the rate Rs2 per piece, for medicinal plant Rs5 each would be charged, Udgata said.