Guwahati, Sept 9: Assam on Tuesday took its first step towards creating yet another Guinness World Record on tree plantation by planting 3.5 lakh saplings in a single row running 22 kilometre long in Guwahati.
Assam environment and forest minister Chandramohan Patowary launched the plantation drive as part of the first of the series of activities under the state government’s Amrit Briksha Andolan campaign on Saturday. The longest line of potted seedlings was arranged in a spiral pattern.
The seedlings would be distributed among the public on September 10 for the next set of events.
The state government is planning to plant one crore commercially viable tree saplings in a single day as part of the Amrit Briksha Andolan and create a world record.
The objective of the campaign is to promote a tree-based economy in Assam and enable people to derive economic benefits by growing commercial trees, Patowary said.
The Assam government is striving to increase forest cover in the state from 36 per cent to 38 per cent, he said.
The campaign has been envisaged by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to enable people to take ownership of these commercial trees and derive benefits, he said.
“Next year, we are targeting to plant three crore saplings. Efforts will be made to grow those tree saplings in our government nurseries under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds next year and not import from outside’’, the minister said.
As many saplings planted each year die due to various reasons, efforts will be made to grow all these trees successfully this time and ensure a high success rate, he said.
Informing that 49 lakh people have already registered themselves on the portal for planting one crore saplings, Patowary congratulated forest officials for this campaign.
The minister pointed out that Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardev had also emphasised the importance of trees for human society which is evident from his quote “eka briksha dasha putra sama” (one tree is equal to 10 sons).
Patowary also stressed on the need to nurture trees for reducing the negative effects of global warming and climate change.
“The countdown has begun. Eight days to go for Amrit Brikshya! A sight to behold as the saplings have arrived. A 22-km-long long row of saplings in a spiral shape will enter the Guinness Records. Join us on September 17, when we plant over 1 cr sapling in just 3 hours,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on X. (PTI)
Adjudicator of Guinness World Records Prabin Patel said there are strict guidelines which must be followed to achieve a world record.
He congratulated the Assam environment and forest department for taking up such a mammoth exercise.
Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Tea Tribes Welfare Department Minister Sanjay Kishan, additional chief secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad, and other senior officials were also present on the occasion. (PTI)
