Ranchi, Sep 18: Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi said that in the 1000 days the government has planted a total of 8,56,09,656 trees.
Addressing a press conference at the Suchana Bhawan here he said that the department has had many credit to its name as it started the Mukhymantri Jan Van Yojana and undertook massive plantation drive in the state. Apart from that forest guards have also been appointed while parks have been built in rural and urban areas.
He said that the state government has also increased the compensation in case of death caused by the wild animals which was earlier Rs 2.50 lakh and has been increased to Rs 4 lakh Mr Chaturvedi said that for planting 8.56 crore trees in the state a sum of Rs 718.88 crore was spent. He said that after plantation the department monitors the plant and in case it dies another plant is planted on the spot.
He said that the state government from 2016 itself was celebrating the Van Mahotsav as a peoples movement in which apart from the Governor and the Chief Minister, people at the district, block and panchayat level also participate.
Mr Chaturvedi said that keeping in mind the lack of nitrogen and less fertility of the land the department has stresses on the need to plant trees like Eucalyptus which grow rapidly in less time and also the wood can be used in making furniture and homes. He said that however it has been now decided that at least 10 per cent of local trees including Mahua would be planted for which final touches is being made in the nursery. He said that if a person wants that a dry tree is cut in his land that he can submit online application permission for which would be granted in 41 days.
Over the number of Tigers in the Palamu Tiger Reserve he said that atleast six tigers are present in the reserve and their numbers are expected to grow. He said that few days ago a 54 DNA samples were sent for lab testing which confirm the numbers.