27,200 saplings to be planted on July 1 on Kaliabor-Bokakhat stretch of NH-37

KAZIRANGA, June 23 - As per the desire of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, a massive plantation drive would be undertaken on July 1 in areas adjacent to the Kaziranga National Park, where about 27,200 saplings would be planted at a stretch of 68 km on both sides of the National Highway 37 from Kaliabor to Bokakhat.

Though the actual distance between these two destinations is 82 km, but a stretch of 68 km would be covered. The programme would be inaugurated by the Chief Minister at Kaliabor and exactly at the same time all the saplings would be planted up to Bokakhat area by different stakeholders, said the authority of Golaghat Social Forestry on Thursday during a meeting with stakeholders including different NGOs held at Forest Convention Center, Kaziranga. School children of Kaziranga will also participate in the programme.

Sources added that 400 saplings would be planted per one km stretch of the National Highway 37 where about two km or so had been allocated to each organisation to complete the planting of the saplings. The Forest department would make all kinds of logistical arrangements like making the pits, supplying of plant saplings like �Krishnachura� , �Radhachura�, �Sonaru� and �Aejar� . �If successful, then this planting programme will create a record, � said an official of the Forest department. The programme would be jointly carried out by the Social Foresty department of Nagaon and Golaghat in association with the Kaziranga National Park authority and police and civil authorities.