DIGBOI, March 21 � Around 7 km east of the National Highway-38 at Dehing TE point and deep within Powai Forest Beat under Margherita East Forest Range, there is a 50-hectare block of hollong plantation called �Mohan Lal Dutta�s Plot�.
The plot was selected by late Mohan Lal Dutta, a Divisional Forest Officer, way back in 1928 for sowing of hollong seeds as part of his afforestation move. The seeds sprouted and through the nursing care of Late Dutta and his staff the seedlings grew into luxuriant trees. The forest people subsequently named the hollong patch after Mohan Lal Dutta as a mark of respect for the great visionary conservationist.
On a visit to the plot on March 18, the DFO of Digboi Division, P Sivakumar, told this correspondent that late Dutta�s project was something unique for his time and a source of encouragement to them all.
The other tree species growing there are Champa, Nahar, Singari, Seleng, Parali, Uriam and varieties of bamboos. Incidentally, the forest staff and the forest villagers have turned the plot into a kind of pilgrimage by establishing a Dangaria Than on the foot of a huge banyan tree there.
