In a bid to promote 'Green India Mission’, Haryana Government and Indian Railways on Monday signed an agreement to plant saplings on railway land.
To begin with, 1.25 lakh saplings would be planted over an area of 115 hectares along Sonipat-Jind and Rohtak-Rewari railway lines in the initial phase.
The agreement was signed by Haryana Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Amarinder Kaur, and Chief Engineer/P&D, Northern Railway, Pankaj Saxena, in the presence of Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister, Prakash Javadekar, and Haryana Forests Minister, Rao Narbir Singh in New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Railways Minister, Suresh Prabhu, said that to make the ‘Green India Mission’ a grand success, five crore saplings would be planted on railway land. He said plantation along railway track would not only reduce pollution, but would also provide employment opportunities and reduce soil erosion, which would reduce the chances of mishaps. He said that in the first phase, such agreements have been signed with Haryana and Punjab and talks were on with the Maharashtra Government.
Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister, Prakash Javadekar, said that plantation would also be taken up along National Highways to promote afforestation. He said that the Department had also set a rule that after plantation, the authority to fell trees would also lie with the departments concerned, which would promote re-plantation.
He said that the country imports timber worth Rs 40,000 crore. With afforestation, more employment opportunities would be generated and the economic condition of the country would also be strengthened.
Haryana Forests Minister, Rao Narbir Singh said that under the agreement, 1.25 lakh saplings would be planted on 115 hectares along Sonipat-Jind and Rohtak-Rewari railway lines in the initial phase.