All set for 33 crore tree plantation from July 1
   Date :30-May-2019

 
Special Correspondent:
 
The government machinery is getting prepared to undertake massive 33 crore tree plantation from July 1 to September 30 this year in cooperation with different government departments, local bodies, social organisations, educational institutions and citizens. This was stated by Sudhir Mungantiwar, Forest Minister, while addressing a press conference at Vanamati on Wednesday, after a review meeting on Nagpur divisional level. The government successfully planted four crore seedlings in 2017, 13 crore in 2018 and now it has set a target of 33 crore plantations to complete 50 crore tree plantation programme in Maharashtra. Discussing the arrangements being made for the ambitious tree plantation programme this year, Mungantiwar said that as many as 5.94 crore saplings would be planted this year in Nagpur division, including 98.39 lakh in Nagpur district.
 
Forest Department, Social Forestry and Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra would conduct the tree plantation programme. At present, 5.30 crore seedlings are available in the division that include 75.03 lakh in Nagpur district, he added. The machinery has already dug 4.30 crore pits for planting saplings at non-forest land, wasteland and other identified spots. In Nagpur district, 63.52 lakh pits are ready for plantation purpose. Planatation places, nursery spots and other activities are being monitored online in order to bring transperancy in the work. Photos of the spots will also be made available on the website of Forest Department.
 
District level committees headed by the District Collectors have been formed for monitoring the activities. Moreover, district-level dedicated cells and one at the Divisional Commissioner level have also been formed for monitoring. Mungantiwar said that as many as 100 Atal Anandvans on the pattern of Japan have been made to a view to planting more saplings in a limited space. The saplings prepared from a tree in the premises of Sevagram would be planted at different martyrs’ memorials to mark 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. As many as four crore bamboo plantations have also been done in the State, he added. MLC Anil Sole, Vikas Kharage, Secretary, Forest, P Kalyankumar, Chief Conservator of Forest, and others were present at the press conference.
 
 
‘Tiger population up to 250 in State’
 
The number of tigers has now increased to 245 to 250 in Maharashtra, according to tiger estimation conducted in the State in 2018, announced Sudhir Mungantiwar. There is a rise by 25 per cent in tiger population in Maharashtra during the last four year. The tiger population covers tiger reserves national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and territorial forest. The modern M-stripe technology was used this timer during the estimation. There were 190 tigers in Maharashtra in 2014. There were 102 cubs that time but now they are grown into sub-adult stage. The number of cubs is not considered in census till they attain the age of two years. Mungantiwar hoped that this year also the number of tigers would increase. He said that the region witnessed a spurt in man-animal conflict due to increase in population of tigers and other wild animals in the available forest area.