Forest department score crosses15 lakh-mark

PUNE: The forest department and social forestry department have managed to plant a combined 15.48 lakh saplings across Pune circle. This move is a part of the state

government’s tree plantation drive

across Maharashtra, where it plans to plant 4 crore trees.

By Thursday, the plantation drive of these two wings of the forest department had managed to achieve 88.5% of their plantation target of 17.26 lakh saplings in the circle. Friday is the last day before the state-wide drive ends.

During the day, member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Shivajinagar, Vijay Kale and officials from the forest department had carried out a plantation drive at

Van Bhavan

, the department’s office in the city.

In all, 22.1 lakh trees are to be planted in the district. Of this, the forest department will plant 6.87 lakh, the administrative department 1.1 lakh, gram panchayats will collectively plant 3.25 lakh, and the remaining 10.88 lakh trees will be planted by agriculture, civic body, water resources, public buildings and other departments.

After 2016’s target of 2 crore trees, and 4 crore this year, the state government aims to plant 13 crore saplings in 2018, 33 crore in 2019, and 50 crore by 2020.