Five crore tree saplings to be planted in Haryana

Bhiwani, Jun 22 (UNI) The Haryana government will plant around five crore saplings over 19,000 hectares during the current financial year.

Of these about 2.75 crore sapplings would be given free of cost to the farmers, Minister of State for Forest, Tourism, Environment, Sports and Youth Affairs, Kiran Chaudhary stated here today.

Addressing mediapersons she said seminars and a number of competitions on environment would be organised to create awakening among children about plant protection. Maximum plantation would be ensured through eco-clubs as well, she added.

She informed that Chaudhary Surender Singh Memorial Mini Zoo here would be expanded to develop it into an amusement and panoramic site for the children. Lions and leopards would also be brought to the mini zoo and enclosures were being made at a cost of Rs 70 lakh to house these animals.

She said efforts were being made to make this zoo more beautiful and attractive. Three acres of land of Public Works (Water Supply and Sanitation) Department had been made available to the zoo for its expansion. Zoo authorities had already taken the possession of 1.25 acres of land and the remaining land was under illegal encroachment.

She directed the officers of District Administration to remove all encroachment on this land forthwith to facilitate the expansion of the zoo.

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