Labour Minister and district in charge for Dharwad Santosh Lad has said that a weeklong district-level campaign for ‘Green Dharwad’ will be held till July 7 during which it has been planned to plant saplings of various species.
He was inaugurating the district level ‘Vana Mahotsava’ (tree plantation) programme organised jointly by the district administration, zilla panchayat, Forest Department, and Higher Education Department at the Higher Education Academy on Haliyal Road in Dharwad on Saturday. He also launched the ‘Koti Vruksha Andolana’ planned to be implemented through seed balls.
During the weeklong campaign, saplings of local varieties would be planted at vacant spaces in forests, non-forest areas, premises of government offices, educational institutions, hospitals, industrial estates, religious organisations, universities, tank bunds, and other places, he said.
Mr. Lad said it was a matter of concern that green cover was depleting in Dharwad, which was known for its greenery, and the district-level campaign was meant for regaining the past glory.
The Minister called on the officials to come up with projects to increase the forest cover and recommend plantation based on land availability. “Let us take a pledge to plant at least 10 lakh saplings by next year,” he said.
During the current year’s plantation programme, space had been identified in 145 gram panchayats and in coordination with Forest Department and Department of Social Forestry, it had been planned to plant 2.52 lakh saplings, the Minister said, adding that students of various schools and colleges and interested non-governmental organisations would be involved in the campaign.
Arvind Bellad, MLA, presided over the programme. Student Keerti Naragund administered the tree plantation pledge to participants. Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Gurudatta Hegde, ZP CEO Swaroopa T.K., Chief Conservator of Forest D. Yatish Kumar, KUD Registrar Yashpal Ksheersagar, Director of Higher Education Academy S.M. Shivaprasad, and others were present.
