Forest dept to begin week-long World Environment Day progs with cleanliness drive

Ranchi: The state forest, environment and climate change department would begin the World Environment Day celebrations with a cleanliness drive at the Biodiversity Park in Ranchi on Tuesday.“The department would join hands with public, students and environmental experts to organise activities to generate awareness about environmental protection,” Sanjeev Kumar, the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and head of forest forces, said.“To sensitise people on environmental diversity, the department will organise a bird watching and a cleanliness drive at Namkum’s Horap forest on Tuesday. The participants would be taken on a guided bird-watching tour by forest officials. Thereafter, a cleanliness drive will be organises,” he added.The department on Wednesday will organise a cyclothon and walkathon to spread message of environmental protection. “The cyclothon will take place from forest headquarters to Oxygen Park in Morhabadi while the walkathon will take place from the headquarters to Hinoo Chowk. A painting competition will be organised among school students at the forest headquarters the next day. The observance will culminate on Friday with a state-wide programme,” Kumar added.PCCF Kumar further added that the forest department has set a target of planting around 1.5 crore saplings across the state in the current financial year. “Since its formation in 2000, Jharkhand’s forest cover has been increasing at a steady pace. The state’s forest cover increased by over one lakh hectare in the past 25 years.Taking this growth forward, the department is focused in increasing the state’s green cover,” he added.