A total of 10,13,643 saplings were planted in Virudhunagar district during the mass plantation drive conducted on June 5.
In a statement, District Revenue Officer B. Ganesan said enumerators appointed on the day had verified and got acknowledgement from the people for having planted this many saplings.
The district administration was able to ready 2.10 lakh of coconut, 3.35 lakh of teak, 4.45 lakh of gooseberry and 84,000 of guava saplings, totalling to 11,24,000.
However, a total of 10,06,296 saplings were taken to different distribution centres in the district.
These saplings, distributed to those who had not dug the pits and not kept ready the sticks and gunny bags to make tree guards, were retrieved and distributed to others who showed interest, Mr. Ganesan said.
With lot of enthusiasm showed by the people for the drive, additional 39,000 coconut saplings brought from Dharmapuri and 20,000 saplings of neem, pungan, casuarina and teak from Sevalur nursery were distributed.
Out of the total 10,65,296 saplings distributed, the enumerators – teachers and village administrative officers – got acknowledgement from people for having planted 10,13,543.
Mr. Ganesan said that for the remaining five per cent of the saplings either the acknowledgement was not obtained from the people or could have been damaged in transit.
The DRO said that people who had failed to register their names in the initial stage, but had dug pits could get the saplings from Sevalur nursery, where another 30,000 saplings were kept ready.
Interested people may get it through the Panchayat Presidents or Village Administrative Officers or contact 04562-252804.
All the saplings planted during the drive that fail would be replaced, Mr. Ganesan said.
