The Hindu : Plant trees and get job, Chautala tells youth

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

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Plant trees and get job, Chautala tells youth

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH JULY. 13 .The Om Prakash Chautala regime in Haryana has decided to promote afforestation in a unique way. It has decided to give Government jobs on priority basis to educated unemployed youth who will successfully plant 1,000 trees.

The Chief Minister announced this after inaugurating the 54th State- Level Van Mahotsava at Karnal today, where he also planted a sapling of Bahera (Terminalia Bellirica), a medicinal plant and main ingredient of Triphala.

The programme started by the formation of a human chain by 10,000 students from different schools of the district. Thereafter, the students planted one sapling each. They

were also provided two more saplings each to be planted at their schools and residences.

Mr.Chautala expressed concern over the reckless cutting of trees on account of growing urbanization, industrialization and commercialization.This was the reason

why the Government had decided to give jobs on priority to those who exhibited concern for their environment. He said that the over-exploitation of forests and other natural resources had created an imbalance in the environment throughout the world. His regime was determined to make the plantation programme a people's movement and claimed that over the last three years, the forest cover had grown by 790 square kilometers in the State.

He expressed satisfaction that during this period nearly 10 crore plants had been planted out of which 90 per cent were still surviving despite drought-like conditions in the State. This year the Forest Department had been directed to have a total plantation target of 4.5 crore plants, out of which 2.5 crore plants would be distributed to farmers free of cost, he added.

A programme to involve school students in environmental activities had been started by forming 2,300 eco-clubs in all the Government schools in the State. Thrust was also being given to the development of medicinal plants and a herbal park over an area of 200 acres had been set up at village Chuharpur in Yamunanagar district. Another herbal park would soon come up near Gharaunda in Karnal district, he added.

The Horticulture Department had also been directed to plant medicinal plants on 1,600 acres of panchayat land throughout the State.

The Commissioner and Secretary, Forests, D.S.Dhesi, appreciated the Forest Department's role in undertaking various activities including the successful implementation of social forestry and Aravali projects.

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