The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Efforts to grow trees on private lands intensified

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Efforts to grow trees on private lands intensified

Staff Reporter

Aim to achieve 33 per cent of forest cover by 2012: Minister

S. Regupathy.

PUDUKOTTAI: Efforts to encourage private participation in the State in growing trees have been intensified so as to achieve the target of 33 per cent of forest cover by the turn of 2012, said the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests S. Regupathy.

Inaugurating the ‘Project Green Hands’ programme of the Isha Foundation to plant 10 lakh saplings in various parts of the district during 2008 at a function held here recently, the Union Minister said that the country accounted for an average 25 per cent of forest cover against the target of 33 per cent planned by the turn of 2012.

As the extent in Tamil Nadu was just 17.5 per cent, an all-out effort was being taken to increase the forest cover by planting saplings on private lands.

Mr. Regupathy said that the Project Green Hands to plant 2.5 crore saplings would go a long way in increasing the green cover in the State.

The Union Minister suggested that saplings be distributed during important occasions such as birthdays, marriages and festivals.

4.25 saplings planted

The Managing Trustee of Isha Foundation M. S. Rajarethinam said that about 4.25 lakh saplings had been planted in the district during the first spell thanks to the cooperation from service organisations, tree-growers and environmentalists in the district.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests C. K. Sreedharan; the District Forest Officer A. Somasundaram and office-bearers of Pudukottai District Tree-growers Association ‘Maram’ Thangasamy and G. S. Dhanapathy offered felicitations.

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