4.5 lakh saplings to be planted in Jind

Our Correspondent

Jind, June 22

As many as 4.5 lakh saplings will be planted across the district by the Forest Department under a tree plantation drive in July. The exercise is already under way in Narwana and Safidon. The department will plant neem, peepal, Arjun, sheesham, dharak and some fruit varieties. Nearly one lakh saplings have been spared for free supply or sale at a nominal price of Rs 1 per sapling.

RS Dhull, District Forest Officer, said the department had set up village clusters under the plantation drive to plant fresh saplings and replace ‘’dead’’ ones.

Over 2,000 saplings would be planted in various institutions and another 30,000 saplings of grafted fruit varieties distributed in residential areas under the ‘Har Ghar Hariyali’ scheme.

The DFO said saplings would be planted to replace every tree felled during the Jat agitation. As many as 5,200 trees were axed by protesters in Jind district alone during the February stir.