Sikkim continues to remain India's greenest state

Owing to proper conservation and protection of forest areas, Sikkim continues to be India's greenest state.

Recent satellite data shows Sikkim to be the greenest state in the country with a forest cover of 47.3 percent, as compared to the national average of 21 percent.

It is the only state in the country whose forest area has increased in the last two decades by over three percent.

This has been made possible by implementation of several measures like the Sikkim Green Mission, Ten Minutes to Earth and Smriti Vans, which have also helped increase the flora and fauna significantly.

"We have the state green mission and other program and because of this the program is successful, and this credit goes to Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling, who has a vision of saving ecology. He has a wide knowledge about environment," said Bhim Dhungel, Tourism and Forest Minister, Sikkim

The state government plans to bring an additional 1000 hectares of land under forest cover during the 12th Five Year Plan. It has spent around Rs 10 crores on the green mission under which 45 lakh indigenous trees have been planted.

Home to several endangered species of plants and animals, Sikkim has now become a role model for successful implementation of environment protection measures.