Students to plant 4.5 lakh saplings

PATNA: The Forest and Environment department has formally issued the 'Kishore Chetna Briksh Yojna' — an ambitious plan to plant 4.5 lakh saplings through school children in the next three years. The scheme is to be implemented in all the 38 districts of Bihar and the children from classes VI to X studying in schools affliated to ICSE, CBSE and Bihar School Examination Board. The schoolstudents will be paid Rs 100 every year for three years for nurturing the tree to above grazing height. The scheme was announced by CM Nitish Kumar during his Independence Day speech. According to the notification, the children are to fill up formats made available by the forest department to the school's principal. The saplings are to be planted on the school premises, adjoining places or on private land of the students. The saplings selected for plantation are mostly of fruits like mango, jamun, jackfruit, lichhi, mahua and amla apart from amaltash, pipal, pakar and guller — all long surviving trees. The school principals are expected to send detailed reports on the trees planted by students. The forest department will inspect the sites and after being satisfied that genuine plantation has been done, it will send the money to the school through bank draft. The idea of awarding prizes to students for the 'best three planations' has also been mooted. According to informed sources Rs 5 crore has been earmarked for the scheme in the current fiscal. There is also a strong possibility of students having a good academic background participating in the scheme being given financial assistance by the time they finish schooling.