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Lahaul Valley blooming with tree plantation

Staff Correspondent

Eco-tourism project has started showing considerable results

SHIMLA: "Blooming Highways", the popular roadside eco-tourism project of tree plantation has started showing considerable results in an otherwise dull and barren valley of tribal Lahaul and Spiti these days. The swift growth of trees has pleasantly surprised the visitors crossing the area. Endless rows of plants have cropped up on all the highways covering the entire landscape of the tribal district.

An official spokesman here said that the roadsides plantation in Lahaul Valley primarily envisages maintaining the ecological balance by planting locally adapted indigenous plants. The massive plantation drive, under which more than 11,500 "posts" of Poplar, Willow and Deodar were planted, is one of the most successful campaigns with a survival rate of more than 70 percent.

While undertaking this drive, the growth habit, climatic and topographical conditions were also taken care of. Initially, the roadside plantations proposed to raise the species of Poplar, Willow, Deodar, Rubunia and some Rose bushes. However, to begin with, the district administration thought it proper to lay stress on the plantation of Poplar and Willow only. Both these varieties are fast growing with a high rate of survival in the cold desert area.

The plantation drive was taken up on all the three highways of Lahaul Valley, said the spokesman.

The plantation drive extends from Khoksar to Keylong, Keylong to Darcha and from Tandi to mini-Manali near Udaypur.

The DM of the district has shown a keen interest in the highway blooming project and has involved all the implementing agencies and the NGOs of the area.

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Lahaul Valley blooming with tree plantation

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