GUWAHATI, July 3 - The Assam Association, Mumbai (AAM) planted 1200 saplings in the hills of Belapur Nature Park, Thane District on July 1 with the active support, advice and guidance of the Forest Department of the district, an e-mail received here stated.
�Members of the Association will nurture and maintain these trees till the next monsoon arrives i.e., till June 2017�, informed the president of the AAM. A large number of members took active part in the event despite inclement weather and intermittent heavy showers. There were quite a few non- Assamese people, children and a large number of women also took part in the event.
The Maharashtra Government organised the mega tree plantation programme with a target of two crore saplings on July 1. This initiative is a part of �Vanamahotsav 2016-17�, celebrated all over India in the first week of July every year. Out of a total area of 307 lakh hectares in the State, around 20 per cent is covered by forests; while as per the National Forest Act 1988; 33 per cent areas should have green cover. The Forest department itself will plant up to 1.50 crore saplings, while the rest of the Government departments will plant the remaining 50 lakh trees.
The software developed by the Forest Department will note GPS locations of trees (latitude and longitude) that are to be planted; click pictures of holes dug for plantation, monitor the implementation system and the plantation process.
The saplings are of local varieties such as mango, banyan, �Portia�, jackfruit, neem, rain tree and gulmohar, which provide lot of shade depending on local climate and availability of water.
The Association expressed its sincere gratitude to the Maharashtra Government for their support and guidance. They are thankful to CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation) for permitting entry to the protected area for plantation.
