Mayiladuthurai district administration has surpassed the target to plant 75,000 saplings from August 1 to 15 by getting beyond the one lakh mark.
The task of planting of saplings and looking after them has been entrusted with the District Rural Development Agency. The saplings have been planted along roadsides, at public places, space surrounding waterbodies, school campuses and open spaces in villages. The activity was still in progress, District Collector R. Lalitha said.
In accordance with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's emphasis on 'Pasumai Tamizhagam', a district-level greenery committee has been constituted, the Collector said.
Through the affortestation work under Green Tamil Nadu Mission, the State aims to increase its forest and tree cover from 23.8 percent to 33 percent in 10 years. The Massive Tree Planting Programme (MTP) conceived by the Forest Department is being implemented since 2011-12. The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is vested with the responsibility of creating green cover in degraded forest areas.
