Van Mahotsav: UP set to create new record by planting 35 crore saplings

In a major push for environmental conservation, Uttar Pradesh is all set to celebrate Van Mahotsav from July 1 to July 7. The state’s Forest and Wildlife Department has completed all preparations to plant a record 35 crore saplings across Uttar Pradesh, the highest number in the entire country.

The department, working in close coordination with various other departments, has already gathered 52.33 crore saplings for the plantation drive. Advance soil work on 72,912 hectares of land has also been completed to ensure smooth implementation of the green campaign.

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A review meeting led by Forest and Environment Minister Arun Kumar Saxena was held for all divisions, except Meerut and Gorakhpur, to monitor the progress recently. The dates for the statewide Van Mahotsav will be announced shortly once all final preparations are in place, officials here on Wednesday said.

The Van Mahotsav is part of the government’s broader plan to protect the environment and increase forest areas across the state.

The Nodal Officer for Van Mahotsav, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Deepak Kumar, said all preparations for the event have been completed. The Forest Department has gathered 52.33 crore saplings at its district and divisional offices across the state, with contributions from different departments.

Out of these, the Forest Department itself prepared about 47.2 crore saplings, the Horticulture Department contributed 1.55 crore, the Silk Department 0.33 crore, and 3.17 crore came from private organizations.

These saplings include 18.60 crore teak and sheesham, 10.79 crore fruit plants like mango and guava, 5.75 crore medicinal saplings like drumstick and neem, 5.62 crore ornamental plants like amaltas and siris, and 0.29 crore saplings for large banyan and peepal trees.

To ensure the success of Van Mahotsav, forest officials are working closely with local NGOs, schools, colleges, volunteer groups, and social organizations. Efforts are also underway to promote awareness across the state to increase public participation in making Uttar Pradesh greener and protecting the environment.