Bengal to plant 2.5 crore saplings in seven days

Over 2.5 crore plant saplings will be planted across West Bengal in the next seven days and the afforestation drive was launched today.
As part of a week-long 'Van Mahotsav' programme, the state Forest Department is trying to spread awareness on the role of trees in protecting the environment, Forest Department officials said.
"We will plant more than two crore saplings on our own in different forest areas in the state. There are some empty patches in forestland where our staff is planting new saplings," state Forest Minister Binay Krishna Barman said.
He said another 68 lakh saplings were being distributed among school children, college students, NGOs, clubs and so that people also can plant trees wherever they can.

The core focus of the drive is to raise awareness on protecting trees and nurturing them.
In New Town area in the outskirts of the city, authorities have launched a fortnight-long drive to plant 45,000 trees till the end of the month, the officials said.
"Various other organisations are also participating in this drive. Our target is to plant trees wherever there is an empty space - on roadsides, road medians, etc. We can even have some pocket forests in urban areas on empty land," said Debashis Sen, chairman of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA).