The Social Forestry division of the Forest Department in Chittoor is spruced up for planting of one crore saplings, covering 1,363 villages as part of the Vana Mahotsavam scheduled from July 27.
As a prelude to the massive social forestry target, Divisional Forest Officer G. Srinivasulu on Saturday flagged off the vehicle carrying the first batch of 2,000 saplings to Bhumireddipalle village of Yadamarri mandal on the outskirts of Chittoor.
Speaking to the media here, the DFO said that the women self-help groups and sarpanches would be involved in a big way to extend their services to the mass saplings event.
The authorities of the District Rural Development Authority and the Panchayat Department had already passed on the information at the field- level.
“As many as 6.2 lakh saplings would be distributed to the women groups under the concept of one sapling per each house. Similarly, 64 lakh saplings would be distributed to government and private educational institutions for planting on the premises of government offices and industries. The functionaries of the agriculture markets in the district will also be involved in the mission,” he said.
Mr Srinivasulu said that as many as 10,01,077 saplings would be planted on a single day all over Chittoor district on Vana Mahotsavam launch day. “Hats, stickers, banners and posters would be ready in a week for public campaign.
Our vehicles with public address system will tour all the targeted villages to create awareness among the people regarding the social forestry scheme and will sell the saplings to them at very nominal rate with maximum subsidy. Each sapling with a price of Rs. 35 would be supplied to the public between Re. 1 and Rs. 10. Highlight of the event is that we are also going to organise Kala Jatas (cultural events) for effective reach of the message to the masses. We will keep the saplings at bus stations to facilitate public to purchase them. The saplings consist of the premier species of red sanders, teak, gulmohar and others,” the official said.
Certificates, prizes distributed
Meanwhile, DFO Srinivasulu and District Educational Officer (DEO) K. Nageswara Rao distributed the certificates and prizes to the winners among school students at PCR Government High School here. Students from Tirupati, Madanapalle and Chittoor divisions who won the essay, elocution and drawing competitions at district level attended the event, and they would be sent for the State-level competition.
