CM to launch 'vriksharopan mahakumbh' on August Kranti anniversary

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will on Friday, the 77th anniversary of Quit India Movement, launch "Vriksharopan Mahakumbh" aimed at planting a record 22 crore plants in the state.

The chief minister will launch the mega greenery drive by planting Harishankari, a combination of three sacred plants -- peepul, paakr and banyan -- at Jaitikheda in Lucknow, Forest Minister Dara Singh Chauhan said on Thursday.

Governor Anandi Ben Patel will also participate in the drive and plant saplings at the Ganga forest in Kasganj here.

Chief Minister Adityanath will also distribute saplings free of cost at the parade ground on the banks of Ganga-Yamuna confluence in Allahabad later in the day, the minister said.

To ensure proper monitoring of the growth of trees, majority of saplings planted at the village panchayat level will also be 'geotagged', said the minister, adding the state government has also appointed "tree guardians" to nurture the plants and monitor their growth.

By planting 22 crore plants, the government is set to break its own earlier record of planting trees on a large scale, said Chauhan, adding the government has prepared a micro plan for each gram panchayat to help farmers get saplings and plant them.

He said the government has roped in block development committees, gram pradhans and also the block development officers in its greenery drive, which would play a crucial role in curbing air pollution, soil erosion and depletion of ground water level.

The government has also roped in farmers registered under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and beneficiaries of various other schemes ion its greenery drive.

The saplings chosen for plantation are those of teak, drumstick, eucalyptus (gum trees), mango, mahua, berries, guava besides hundreds of other species, which would be distributed free of cost among people.