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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Audit to nab sapling killers -Bibhuti Barik

Audit to nab sapling killers -Bibhuti Barik

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published Published on Jun 18, 2013   modified Modified on Jun 18, 2013
-The Telegraph


Bhubaneswar: The forests and environment department has started a plantation audit to find out the survival rate of saplings planted over the years within the city limits.

A total of 9,67,362 saplings were planted in past three years but no one knows the survival rate of the saplings.

Forest officials say a survival rate of 70 to 75 per cent is a healthy sign for any plantation drive. But the numbers are only available for those drives undertaken by the city forest division, Chandaka Wildlife Division and Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC).

There are no figures available for the success rate of plantation drives undertaken by non-forest agencies.

Principal chief conservator of forests Priyanath Padhi today told The Telegraph: "We have started the plantation audit this year to find out about the efficiency of the various agencies that undertook the plantation drives."

"We supply free saplings to almost all the agencies. So, they should not be wasted. Over the past three years, more than 9 lakh saplings were distributed. We are planning to add 3 lakh more this year."

Padhi said the audit report would be available within four to six months.

"Once we know about the success rate of various government organisations, educational institutions and corporate houses, those who have been successful will be awarded and those who have neglected their work will be asked not to waste plant saplings in future," Padhi said.

In Bhubaneswar, the plantation success rate of the other two major non-forest agencies - the Bhubaneswar Development Authority and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation - is not yet known. They have planted 91,172 saplings in the past three years.

Chief horticulturist of the development authority Ashok N. Dhar said the body had stopped avenue plantation and only planted sapling in their parks.

No one knows how many saplings were planted inside the development authority's parks.

"We stopped avenue plantations as we have noticed that tree felling along the major roads, avenues and streets have become common in the city," Dhar said.

Environment officer of the corporation Bikram Keshari Routray claimed the corporation's plantation drives had a 95 per cent survival rate last year and 70 per cent in 2011-12.

But, in 2011-12, of the 6,000 saplings given to the corporation for plantation, many could not be distributed due to lack of coordination between the civic body and its councillors.

As the councillors failed to turn up to collect the saplings, some non-government agencies were roped in.

Divisional forest officer, city forest division, Jayanta Das said: "The forest department has created a green belt in Patrapada and another inside the medicinal plant garden. The Odisha Forest Development Corporation has made a mark as an efficient plantation agency as they have been able to maintain very good survival rates. The Chandaka wildlife division has also recreated a forest patch in Bharatpur."

Regarding other agencies taking part in plantation drives, green activist Nrupesh Kumar Nayak said: "In many cases, lack of post-plantation care results in most of the saplings dying. The agencies simply forget their responsibilities after the plantation drive or ceremonies of van mahotsav are over."

Padhi also said the plantation audit would taken into account which agencies had conducted how many van mahotsavs in the past five years. "We will see whether the activities were only to plant saplings and forget about them after a photo session," he said.

More than 20 corporate houses in the city have been involved in plantation activities in the past three years. This year, the forest department is also planning to rope in corporate houses for avenue plantation drives along the national highways and other major roads as they have lost many trees due to expansion work. However, to ensure better survival, OFDC's help will be taken.

"We want to give the city a visible green cover in three to four years," said forests and environment minister Bijoyshree Routray on the sidelines of a symposium against desertification and drought at the Regional Museum of Natural History here today.


The Telegraph, 18 June, 2013, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130618/jsp/odisha/story_17018751.jsp#.UcAraNjcjco


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