In Uttarakhand, it now pays to grow trees

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Monday launched what he said was his "dream project" - a scheme Hamara Ped, Hamara Dhan (Our Tree, Our Money) - as part of an environment conservation programme.

Under the programme, the forest department would make a fixed deposit of Rs 300 a tree, with a time-frame of three years, for any person who plants a new tree on his or her land.

The project is aimed at removing the dependence of people on the state's rich forest wealth and encouraging plantation of trees, which would help fulfil the need of fodder, timber and fuel.

The chief minister had asked the officers of the forest department a few days ago to prepare a blueprint of the project, focusing on the needs of the people. "The participation of the common people must be ensured as the project is environmental-friendly," Rawat said.

Additional Forest Secretary Manoj Chandran said the scheme would be implemented on private lands in the plains and hill areas. The land owners would be the beneficiaries of this scheme.

The application for the project would be available on the department's website as well as in all the offices of the forest department, free of cost.

Saplings for plantation would be available at the forest department as well as registered nurseries at concessional rates.

The project will be monitored by the chief forest conservators of Garhwal and Kumaon, who would be the nodal officers. Forest conservators and Van panchayats would coordinate the tree plantations. Monthly reports on the project would also be sent to the government.

In case of excess number of applicants, the names of beneficiaries would be decided through a lottery system.