Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: District Collector Vinay Gauda has directed all departments to work in coordination to achieve the target of planting 44 lakh trees across 21,940 hectares in the district over the next 10 years under the Green Maharashtra Mission.
Gauda issued the directions during a district-level meeting of the Green Commission held at the Collectorate on Monday. The meeting reviewed ongoing plantation activities and future plans.
Zilla Parishad CEO Minnu P.M., Regional Forest Officer Suvarna Mane, Additional Municipal Commissioner Ranjeet Patil, ZP Additional CEO Vasudev Salunke, Social Forestry Divisional Forest Officer Sandeep Giri, District Superintendent Agriculture Officer Deepak Gawali, Deputy District Collector Rupesh Shingare and committee members attended the meeting.
The collector said the administration should not depend only on forest department land for plantation. Barren land, private land, land belonging to water resources departments, industries, agriculture departments, municipal corporations and other government agencies should also be used for the drive.
He directed the forest and other departments to identify suitable plantation sites and prepare a coordinated plan. Quality saplings will be provided by the social forestry, agriculture and forest departments. The plantation target should be achieved with the support of the rural employment guarantee scheme, gram panchayats, sericulture and other departments.
Gauda said the plantation work should be completed during the monsoon season. He also asked departments to consider the possibility of below-normal rainfall while planning the drive.
He stressed that the Green Maharashtra Mission is not limited to planting trees. The larger objective is to maintain ecological balance and improve groundwater levels. He said the responsibility of protecting and maintaining the saplings for the next 10 years lies with the concerned departments.
The collector also appealed to citizens, self-help groups and gram panchayats to actively participate in the plantation campaign.
