Six lakh tree saplings planted in 6 hours; TN district to set world record

Chennai: In a move to improve the green cover in the district, six lakh tree saplings will be planted in the Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu in 6 hours duration.

The move by the district authorities is likely to fetch a Guinness World record for the district.

The saplings to be planted include medicinal plants, fruit-bearing trees and rainforest trees.

The district administration is joining hands with Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Department, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and Tamil Nadu Forest Department to achieve the feat.

The six lakh saplings will be planted on 1,017 acres across Oddanchatram and Idayakottai taluks of the Dindigul district. The district has already planted five lakh tree saplings block-wise.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University students will do the preliminary work, including pre-cultivation works. The district administration has already set up borewells and other facilities with the support of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and Waterworks Department.

Dindigul District Collector, S. Vishakan said: "The project is aimed to increase the green cover of the district and this is a follow-up of the five lakh saplings that have already been planted."

The Forest Department of the district is actively involved in procuring the saplings along with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and HR&CE Department.

"The idea is to plant six lakh saplings in six hours and this is to create awareness on the impact of trees and how it reverses climate change. In future, the district will be abode to the dense forest that will provide shelter to several species," said S. Prabhu, Dindigul District Forest Officer.

The Forest officials said that Idukottai panchayat has been given the responsibility to maintain the trees.

-IANS Inputs