Second phase of avenue plantation to start from June

Gangtok, May 9 (UNI) After planting 5.5 lakhs tree saplings last year with a success average hovering around 60 to 70 per cent, the Sikkim forest department is geared up to launch the second phase of the State Green Mission from the first week of next month.

''The second phase of State Green Mission will begin from the first week of June,'' said Mr D B Shrestha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) cum secretary, state forest department.

The three phase State Green Mission was launched on February 27 last year by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for avenue plantation and beautification of vacant lands with ornamental plants in a three year time period. The entire state machinery has been geared up for the mission including active participation from the public, panchayats, joint forest management committee and NGOs with the forest department acting as the nodal agency.

Introspecting on the first phase of mission, Mr Shrestha said the success rate was very encouraging and the plantation drive covered 310 kms in the state. He also said that since the mission stresses on trees, the state forest department has 10,000 flowering tall tree saplings in their nurseries.

''The special flowering tree saplings will be procured from other private nurseries,'' the PCCF said. Ornamental trees like Bovgainvilla, Euphorbia and Eucarris have been planted in the first phase while trees like Lagerstromemia, Cassias and Phaledo figured in the common trees that were planted.

Sikkim Forest Minister S B Subedi said that the government has requested the private power developers in the state for tree guards for the protection of the saplings as it has been observed that saplings which had been provided security with tree guards stood better survival chances.

''This week we are convening a review meeting for implementation of the second phase of State Green Mission,'' Mr Subedi said. Key issues like the impending double laning of the NH 31 A and other state highways that would affect the avenue plantation drive and the problems observed in the first phase are expected to figure in the review meeting, he said.

Mr Subedi also said ''In the second phase we will see a bigger involvement of the school students. We are giving grants of Rs.5,000 to senior secondary schools, Rs.2,000 to junior high schools and Rs.1,000 to primary schools for avenue plantation.'' Apart from the budget allocated to the forest department, the rural management department and public works department would be setting aside two per cent of their annual budget allocations for the State Green Mission and other departments would contribute one per cent for the mission.

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