Himachal Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur on Saturday said the three-day statewide plantation campaign launched on 12 July has turned out to be a big hit. More than 15 lakh saplings were planted in different parts of the state, he added.
He said 80,000 people from all walks of life including school children, women, senior citizens and youth actively participated in the campaign. Plantation activities were performed from the boundaries of the state in north with Jammu and Kashmir to Yamuna River in south and Kinnaur district in the east to boundaries of the state with Punjab in the west, he added.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated a state level Van Mahotsav on 10 July from Rajgargh in Sirmaur district where he urged and invited the entire state to participate in making Himachal green. Governor Acharya Devvrat also participated in the campaign at Nehra in Shimla District on 13 July.
The Forest Minister had himself invited all legislators of the state to take part in the campaign. He said plantation activities are still going on and it is expected that 17 lakh plants will be planted by the end of campaign.
Thakur said the campaign was undertaken in all 13 forest circles of the state and 41 forest divisions participated in the campaign. More than 6 lakh deodar species were planted besides broad leaves and other conifers were also planted.
He said that the entire plantation campaign was monitored online. Congratulating the citizens of state for this achievement, he said in future the Forest Department with the help of local community will perform such activities.