State to plant 13m saplings this year

Mumbai: In an attempt to increase the green cover in Maharashtra, the forest department has set up a committee to supervise the implementation of plantation drives. This year, the state is aiming to plant 13 million trees from July 1st. While 33 lakh saplings will be planted in Thane, Nagpur will witness the plantation of two crore saplings over the year.

According to officials of the state forest department, the preparations for the drive have already finished in many districts of the state. Some of these areas have a surplus of saplings. Thane is one such district where the forest department has 55 lakh saplings in stock.

“The forest department in Thane district will be planting 20,55,000 saplings out of the 33 lakh saplings. The municipal corporation, police and other bodies will also be contributing towards the target,” said Jitendra Ramgaonkar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Thane Division. The areas also include Kalyan, Dombivali and Navi Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the BMC is facing space crunch for planting new saplings. “We have been requesting residential societies and local NGOs to provide space for plantation,” said a BMC official.