1 lakh saplings planted in Noida on I-Day

In a historic first for Noida, the city today witnessed plantation of more than one lakh saplings in a single day as part of the Uttar Pradesh government's afforestation drive, officials said.

As many as 1,04,918 saplings were planted during the drive which began at 9 am and went on till 7 pm. With enthusiastic public participation, we exceeded our own target, General Manager, Noida Authority, Rajeev Tyagi told PTI.

The Yogi Adityanath government aimed to plant nine crore saplings across the state in a single day to mark the 72nd Independence Day, Noida Authority officials said, adding that the target for Noida Authority was 86,725 saplings.

In the 42 years since Noida's formation, no plantation drive of this scale has ever taken place. Our annual plantation target is over four lakh. Today we have achieved 23 per cent of it, Tyagi said.

Plant varieties such as jamun, imli (tamarind), kadamba, bel, neem, amla, ashok, kachnar, jacaranda, peepal, pilkhan, maulshree, calendra, tikoma, champa, erica palm and lily were planted.

"The plant species we selected are beneficial from the environmental point of view. They help reduce pollution.

Besides, the branches of these plant species have relatively longer life, which means human and wildlife can enjoy their fruits, flowers, herbs, and shade for alonger period of time," the general manager said.

The saplings were planted along roads, in parks, under elevated roads and metro rail corridors, among many other such zones.

The drive was carried out in sectors 15, 22, 27, 44, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 72, 74, 77, 112, 115, 120, 121, 122, 123, 137, 144, 145, 150, 151, 156, 166, 167 and along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

Principal Secretary of infrastructure and industrial development, Uttar Pradesh, R K Singh participated in the drive in sector 122 where students from a private school joined him in planting jamun and other fruit trees.

Union minister and Gautam Buddh Nagar Member of Parliament Mahesh Sharma participated in the drive at Sector 44, where he was joined by students from Mahamaya Girls Inter College.

People from Resident welfare associations, Rotary Club, trade unions and general public participated in the massive afforestation campaign.

Citizens from urban as well as rural areas, office bearers of the resident welfare associations (RWAs), officials from government institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), industrial units, Noida Employees Association, Noida Industries Association and Horticulture Department participated in the drive.

Students from schools and colleges joined in for the special campaign to ensure its success, he said.

The general manager said contractors, who were selected through a tender for the project, will be taking care of these plants for the next two years.

In case any plant fails to grow, or meets casualty, the contractor will have to replace it with the same species. The contractor will bear the expense in such a situation and not the Noida Authority, he said.

District magistrate Brijesh Naryan Singh also participated in the afforestation campaign.