River banks get a facelift with an increased green cover, adorned with beautiful fruit-bearing and flowering plants

Raipur. A total of 46 lakh 76 thousand 729 saplings have been planted on the banks of 40 different rivers under the “River Bank Tree Plantation” programme in Chhattisgarh during the last four years. As a result, 4,321 hectares of river bank area is getting a facelift with an increased green cover adorned with beautiful fruit-bearing and flowering plants, turning the space aesthetically pleasing.

According to the direction of Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel, the work of plantation on river banks was done under the guidance of Forest and Climate Change Minister Shri Mohammad Akbar by the forest department. The plantation has been done under the programme using CAMPA and departmental funds.

The rivers covered during the last 04 years under this programme include Shivnath, Indravati, Phulakdei, Kendai, Lilagar River, Mahanadi, Hasdeo, Agar, Rihand River, Meghanala, Jhinka River, Kelo River, Moran, Sondhur, Ib River, Pairi River, Tandula, Narangi, Banki River, Galphula, Neur River, Kewai, Khatambar, Bhaisun, Chundi, Bhawai River, Banas River, Rampa River, and Bhulu River.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force V Srinivasa Rao informed during the year 2019, 9 lahks 14 thousand saplings were planted in an 831-hectare area under this programme. Similarly, during the year 2020, 8 lakh 77 thousand saplings were planted in an 845-hectare area, 17 lakh 87 thousand saplings in 01 thousand 647 hectare area during the year 2021, and 11 lakh saplings were planted in a 999-hectare area during the year 2022.

The employment of 9.63 lakh human days has been created in the state through this plantation work. Along with this, the people of 372 nearby villages have directly benefited from works like farming and vegetable production under this programme. The farmers of nearby areas are also getting benefits in the agricultural work as crop production has increased with the reduction of soil erosion. Under this, the income of the villagers is also increasing with the plantation of fruit-bearing trees. Apart from this, the local villagers are also efficiently doing commercial vegetable production on the banks of the river.