Cyclone Phailin: Odisha loses 26 lakh trees, plans to plant 12 cr

Bhubaneswar: Odisha today set a target of planting more than 12 crore trees during 2014-15 following the loss of above 26 lakh trees in Cyclone Phailin. Official sources said out of the 12 crore trees, around 6.5 crore would be planted through different state and Central schemes and 5.5 crore would be distributed to farmers for plantation in their own land. To create awareness among the people about the large scale plantation, the government has coined the slogan ‘Each one plant one’.[caption id=“attachment_1220457” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Killer cyclone. PTI[/caption] Chief secretary JK Mohapatra said it has been decided to set up 16 mega nurseries in different parts of the state. The department will set up one permanent nursery in each block. Temporary nurseries will also be raised to supply seedlings to meet the target, an official said. Forest and environment departments and revenue and disaster management departments have been asked to complete identification of land for block plantation by March. The forest department has been advised to choose appropriate species of plants suitable for various climatic zones and avenue plantation. The Forest Development Corporation has been directed to take up commercial plantation, the sources said. Avenue plantation would scaled up during 2014-15 along the side of PMGSY roads, canal embankments and railway lines, the sources said adding it has been decided to take up massive plantation in village forest lands, bald hills and school premises. As per the plans, plantation will be taken up in 11,300 hectares under the state plan, 5,557 hectares under compensatory afforestation, 24100 hectares under MGNREGS, 2500 hectares under Odisha Bamboo Development Agency in forest area (National Bamboo Mission) in both forest and non-forest area and 8910 hectares under National Afforestation Programmes. Secretary to the panchayati Raj department has been asked to aggregate the district plans of plantation under MGNREGS and make arrangements for release of funds well in advance to the forest department, the sources added. PTI