Chief Minister Launches Ambitious target of planting 1 crore trees at State Forest Festival

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini attended the 75th State-level Forest Festival in Karnal as the chief guest. During this important event, he made several announcements and took part in activities to promote environmental conservation. His actions and words showed how serious the state government is about protecting nature and fighting pollution. New Tree Planting Schemes Announced CM Saini introduced two new schemes to encourage more tree planting in Haryana:

1. Van Mitra (Forest Friend) Scheme: Under this plan, people will be paid 20 rupees for each tree they plant and take care of. They will dig the hole, plant the tree, and look after it themselves.
2. One Tree in Mother's Name Scheme: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea, this scheme allows people to plant a tree in their mother's name. A Van Mitra will then take care of this tree, receiving 10 rupees per tree. These schemes aim to involve more people in tree planting and care, making it a community effort. 

Massive Tree Planting Drive

At the festival, CM Saini joined others in planting 20,000 trees. Students, NCC cadets, and various organizations took part in this big planting event. The Chief Minister gave a slogan for the occasion: "Celebrate Nature - Celebrate Life." He talked about how important trees are, mentioning that even religious books praise them. He pointed out that trees are like guardians of our environment. 

Oxyvane and Urban Forests 

CM Saini inaugurated an Oxyvane in Karnal. Oxyvanes are special areas with many trees that produce a lot of oxygen. He explained that the government decided to create these Oxyvanes after seeing oxygen shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Karnal Oxyvane now has 30,000 trees in total. 

The Chief Minister also mentioned plans to create urban forests in several cities like Murtha, Sonipat, Yamunanagar, and others. These forests in cities will help make urban areas greener and cleaner. 

Ambitious Goals and Progress 

The Haryana government has set a big goal of planting 1 crore (10 million) trees. CM Saini proudly stated that since October 2014, about 18 crore trees have been planted in Haryana by various groups, citizens, and the forest department. To keep track of these plantings, the forest department is using modern technology like geo-tagging and drone mapping. 

CM Saini also shared other achievements:

• In 2023-24, over 22,000 hectares of land were declared protected forests in several districts.  
• 22 Oxyvanes have been set up in both urban and rural areas.
• Under a special scheme, 3,819 tree guardians are getting a pension of 2,750 rupees per year for taking care of trees. 
• There are 2,500 village forest committees active in the state. 

The Chief Minister's announcements and the state's efforts show a strong commitment to increasing green cover in Haryana. By involving citizens through new schemes and creating special forest areas, the government hopes to combat rising temperatures, reduce pollution, and create a healthier environment for everyone in the state.