Mission Green Mahanadi kicks off in Odisha
In a bid to rejuvenate Mahanadi, Tel and Ib rivers and increase recharge capacity by massive plantation, the State Government kicked off ‘Green Mahanadi Mission’ here on the occasion of World Environment Day on Tuesday.The mission, which was launched on the banks of Mahanadi, will be implemented jointly by the departments of Forest, Horticulture and Watershed Development.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Sambalpur Sanjeet Kumar said under the mission, a green belt having a width of 1 km will be created on both sides of Mahanadi beginning from the place where the river enters Odisha till Paradip where it merges with the Bay of Bengal.
The plantation will be undertaken over 75,760 hectare (ha) of Government land besides 47,470 ha of private land. Two crore saplings, including fruit-bearing trees, will be planted on both sides of the river during 2018-19 fiscal, he informed.
Kumar said plantation will be carried out on the bunds of paddy and vegetable fields. Saplings of fruit-bearing trees, which do not have bad impact on crops, will also be grown on the bunds, he said. Growing of fruit-bearing trees, including mango, jamun, guava, and jackfruit in private land will be encouraged.
Moreover, two ‘Ban Doot’ will be identified in each village along Mahanadi river who will educate villagers about the mission. This apart, ‘Mahanadi Sevaks’ will also be identified who will encourage villagers to plant trees, Kumar revealed.
The DFO further said identification of land to undertake plantation activity is top on priority. The land will be identified with proper coordination with the district administration. Apart from Mahanadi, plantation will also be carried out along Tel and Ib rivers. Both are tributaries of Mahanadi.
A specially designed vehicle ‘Sabuja Mahanadi Sachetana Rath’ was also flagged off on the occasion. The vehicle will move in villages along the river till July 5 to create awareness among people. Saplings were also planted on the median of Ring Road along Mahanadi and the premises of Sambalpur Circle Jail and District Judge Court here.
Among others, Sambalpur MLA Raseswari Panigrahi, Agriculture Secretary Saurabh Garg, RCCF, Sambalpur OP Singh, Collector Samarth Verma and SP Sanjeev Arora were present.
IIM Sambalpur
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