Punjab concludes survey for plantation

A government survey in Punjab has found 12,821 hectare of land available for launching plantation drive to achieve the target of 15 per cent forest cover in the state by 2020 under 'Greening Punjab Mission'.
9,800 hectare in 9,145 villages and 3,021 hectare in urban areas is available for plantation, the forest department survey has found, Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani said here today.
Jayani said 90 lakh saplings would be provided for plantation in these villages.
The Minister further said Punjab government has chalked out a Rs 1,900 crore plan for implementation of the 'Greening Punjab Mission', which aims to increase state's forest cover to 15 per cent from the existing less than 7 per cent.

Under this mission, 40 crore saplings are to be planted at various places across the state.
The National Forest Policy envisages 33 per cent of the country's area to be brought under green cover.
Punjab, being a predominantly agricultural state, has less than 7 per cent of its area under green cover, resulting in severe environmental and ecological degradation and rapidly rising pollution levels.