SHILLONG, July 28 � An estimated seven lakh saplings would be planted in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya by involving over 12,000 people on the occasion of International Friendship Day on July 30.
The event is being planned to sensitise the public, especially the youth, about the importance of afforestation, East Khasi Hills District Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said.
Dubbed the �Mega Tree Plantation Festival�, the programme is being initiated under the Chief Minister�s Youth for Green Campaign which is part of Mission Green of the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihoods Promotion (IBDLP), Goyal added.
The seven lakh saplings would be planted in the eight rural development blocks of the District. �The aim is to plant 7,00,700 number of trees in a single day on July 30 at multiple locations,� the DC said.
Goyal further said that authorities of the Guinness World Records have been contacted and a feedback is awaited whether the event could be recorded as �the highest number of saplings planted on a single day.�
He, however, added that the Limca Book of Record has also been contacted and the authorities there have confirmed that they would include the event in their 2016 edition of records. �However, the final decision would be taken only after the plantation drive is over on that day and final figures are available,� Goyal added.
