Uttar Pradesh plans to plant 350 million saplings in a day in July
In the past six years, U.P. has planted 133 crore (1.33 billion) saplings and ‘we asked reputed external agencies to do a survey for survival of the planted saplings and the results were optimistic’, says Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh will plant 35 crore (350 million) saplings in a day in the first week of July, aiming to surpass its achievement of having planted over 25 crore (250 million) saplings in a day on July 5, 2022.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath made the announcement at the inaugural session of the two-day National Climate Conclave here on Monday. The month of July is synonymous with plantation drives.
“In the first week of July, we will plant 35 crore saplings on one day across districts in the state,” he said.
The forest department will be nodal department and several other departments will join the endeavour, the chief minister said.
“In the past six years, U.P. has planted 133 crore (1.33 billion) saplings and we asked reputed external agencies to do a survey for survival of the planted saplings and the results were optimistic,” he said.
“We need to save the environment from climate change impact as India’s tradition has always been environment-friendly. Since the earth is our mother, we must act responsibly towards it,” said the CM, inaugurating the conclave in which experts from across the country are participating.
“We are all aware of how environmentally-friendly Indian tradition has always been. We are all the sons of the earth, according to a hymn from the Atharva Veda. There is no need to tell what a son’s duty towards his mother is,” Yogi Adityanath said.
Pointing out that today the world is facing the challenge of climate change, Yogi Adityanath said, “You must be experiencing unexpectedly heavy rain. In the past, the monsoon used to arrive earlier, around June 15, but last year we saw no rain in June, very little rain in July, and drought in August. The monsoon arrived in October, and for the first time flood had to be dealt with that month,” he said.
“In March this year as well, it rained. It did not rain when the farmer needed water, but it did when the time came to reap the harvest,” the chief minister said.
“It highlights the negative consequences of climate change. We are now suffering from its side-effects,” Yogi Adityanath said.
“The Prime Minister has started several campaigns for water conservation. Every gram panchayat and every district were targeted to make 75 Amrit Sarovars. This campaign started in every village in U.P. and 8,000 Amrit Sarovars have been developed,” he said.
The second volume of a booklet on heritage trees was released during the function.
