Five crore trees to be planted in UP

Uttar Pradesh government has directed all the district magistrates for plantation of five crore trees at 6,500 sites in 24 hours on a date fixed in month of July under the 'Green UP - Clean UP' programme.
Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has directed all DMs that the coding of plantation sites should be done according to IGRS based coding of NIC.
He said that full online data of plantation sites should be prepared with the cooperation of NIC to ensure effective district-wise monitoring.
The CS has issued these directions through a circular.
He has said that district tree-plantation committee, formed under the chairmanship of DM with Zonal Forest Officer as its member secretary, would implement this programme.

Ranjan has directed chief development officers, ADMs, all SDMs, Tehsildars and Block Development Officers, Chief Medical Officers, District Zonal Transport Officers and District School Inspectors to discharge the duties assigned to them under the programme.

He said that a control room should be set up at district level by District tree-plantation committees for efficient execution of the programme, it would be run by Zonal Forest Officer.
The CS has said that it would be responsibility of Zonal Forest Officer/Zonal Director to ensure tree-plantation on the specified date.
He said that provision of outlay should be made in district plan as per the requirement of Forest department to achieve tree-plantation target for FY 2016-17.

Aiming to set a world record, Chief Secretary has directed to ensure sufficient availability of labourers during the two days before and after the fixed date for plantation.
He said that on the date of plantation all MNREGA workers should be directed to join the plantation drive.
The CS said that sector officers would obtain the list of plantation sites from zonal forest officer and would assign various duties to officials concerned along with organizing training and transport of workers.
He said that at least two impartial witnesses at each plantation site and two observers for counting the number of plants would be selected from amongst the teachers, post-graduate students and staff of local colleges and schools, members of any voluntary registered organisation, local banks and personnel of other departments.

He said that one photographer and a videographer should be deployed at each plantation site for recording the activities.