Green Mission 2012 kicks off

GANGTOK, 15 June: The State Green Mission, launched across Sikkim in the year 2006, began its seventh round of plantations today. The state-level launch of the Green Mission was held at Pangthang here today and the drive will continue across the state till 25 June. The Forest Department will be carrying out numerous activities including plantation drives within the forest and private holdings.
Following the state green mission, the Wildlife Division, East District headed by Divisional Forest Officer [DFO], W/L East Ravi Kumar along with Range Officer, W/L, East Maniraj Rai, officials from Wildlife Division, members of Pangthang Eco Development Committees [EDC] and Panchayat carried out plantation drive, at Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary road side starting from Pangthang Junior High School premises and continuing till Gurdung Ghumti, Bhusukey Plot.
During the drive the officers, Forest Guards and members of Pangthang EDC covered a 3 km stretch wherein they carried out weeding around the saplings planted last year. Saplings of species like Cherry, species of Rhododendron were also planted in the blank spots identified.
Speaking to NOW!, DFO W/L Ravi Kumar stated that the green mission plantation drives are mainly focused on government areas, school premises and vacant public spaces.
The plantation initiated during the phase consists mostly of plants possessing aesthetic beauty and fuel or fodder oriented ones. The idea of planting fuel or fodder plants is so that the people refrain from entering the protected forest for collecting fuel or fodder.
Apart from that, during the mission the department will also be supplying saplings to the schools, panchayats, Zilla Panchayats and also to interested local people for plantation in their respective identified premises. He also appealed to the local people, schools, panchayat and Zilla members to approach the nearest forest officers for supply of required amount of planting materials as well.