Vrindavan, 2015.01.14 (DJ): CM Akhilesh Yadav is preparing to set a record for the most trees planted in a single day in Uttar Pradesh. The local Forestry Office is participating in the project and will center its efforts on the Sunrakh Forest Preserve.
The Forestry Department has taken on the task of reforesting a large tract of land in Sunrakh. This 119 acre property was set aside for this purpose three years ago, but only about 25% of the area has been planted at most.
The Sunrakh reforesting plan was begun three years ago and this land lying on the northern side of Vrindavan-Chattikara Road and stretching to Sunrakh village was chosen for that purpose. The purpose was that travelers to Vrindavan would see some greenery on entering the town. The Forestry Department has an ambitious plan to plant neem, peepul, shisham, gulmohar, bargad and other kinds of trees through the terrain, but thy have had to face difficulties.
One of the problems is that the land is filled with concrete and brick that has been dumped there. More important, the water table does not provide sweet water, and this makes it difficult for the newly planted trees to survive. The trees that die are replaced with new saplings. Two tankers have been brought in to bring water from elsewhere for irrigating the new growth.
There is another major problem: The laborers who are working on this project haven’t been paid in ten months. They are living on the land in huts in a state of distress. A tin shed was built on the property to house them, but it was destroyed in last year’s devastating hail storm.
The CM’s project
The CM’s project is to plant 10 lakh trees in one day in the near future. In this scheme, Mathura district will plant on an area 5.25 hectares (1 hectare = 2.5 acres) and the Vrindavan municipality as taken responsibility for a half hectare on which various species of trees will be planted.
The DFO also wants to build an awareness center at the Sunrakh Forest Preserve.
Neel gay and hyenas are causing a lot of damage. In particular neel gay come from the agricultural areas surrounding the reserve such as Kiki Nagla and Sunrakh village. In order to stop them from destroying the newly planted trees, there is talk of building a perimeter wall, but neither a wall nor barbed wire fence have been completed. A wall with barbed wire has been built between the main gate to the reserve and the six-spire temple. The rest of the area remains open. Any animal or wood scavenger can easily come and go.
The DFO accuses local villagers also of damaging trees and saplings.
DFO S.K.Nigam said he intends to inspect the area shortly in order to see about the feasibility of a perimeter fence or wall. Once the funds are in place, the work will be done.
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