Agartala, Sept 18: Marking the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Forest Department of Tripura on Tuesday launched the National Tree Plantation Programme (Seva Parv), which will continue until October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The programme was inaugurated at the Forest Complex in Gandhigram, where Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma planted a Bakul sapling. MLA Nayan Sarkar, West Tripura Zilla Parishad’s Acting Sabhadhipati Bishwajit Shil, Bamutiya Panchayat Samiti Chairman Deepak Kumar Sinha, East Gandhigram Panchayat Pradhan Janaki Biswas, PCCF (P & D) Praveen Agarwal, PCCF Chaitanya Murti, and Conservator of Forest H. Reddy also joined the plantation drive.
Speaking to reporters, Forest Minister Debbarma said that as part of the Seva Parv, 50,000 saplings will be planted across Tripura by October 2. He recalled that under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, over 10.47 lakh saplings were planted across the state on June 25 this year.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a dedicated leader who is guiding the country forward with vision. Tripura too is moving ahead under his leadership,” the minister said.
On September 25 at 12 noon, simultaneous plantation drives will be organized in all eight districts of the state. Several cabinet ministers will participate, including Ratanlal Nath and Sushanta Chowdhury (West District), Bikash Debbarma (Dhalai), Tinku Roy (North), Sudhanshu Das and Santana Chakma (Unakoti), Pranajit Singha Roy (Gomati), Kishore Barman (Sepahijala), and Shuklacharan Noatia (South).
The initiative will also be observed in Udaipur, Khowai, Agartala Municipal Corporation, and other urban areas, with support from various departments.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in collaboration with the state’s Forest Department, is implementing the programme nationwide with a target of planting 1.25 crore saplings this year.
