Karwar: To improve green cover in Uttara Kannada district, the zilla panchayat has planned to plant as many as 1.15 lakh saplings in the district to mark World Environment Day.

It has prepared itself to launch ‘Swachha Meva Jayate’ campaign and as part of it, 500 saplings will be planted in each of the 231 gram panchayats in the district on June 11.

Services of labourers working under the Employment Guarantee Scheme is being availed for this plantation drive. Already, digging of pits needed to plant the saplings has begun in all the gram panchayats. As per the 60:40 rule of the project, 60% of funds will be used to pay for the labourers digging pits 
and 40% will be used to purchase saplings and transport them.

“Earlier, the government had ordered to launch ‘Swachha Meva Jayate’ on June 6 (Environment Day). Under this campaign, the government planned to take up various programmes like holding competitions to create awareness about scientifc disposal and management of waste among rural communities and encourage people to use toilets. But due to some practical problems, the campaign launch had to be put off. Now, it has been planned to launch on June 11,” informed Zilla Panchayat Chief Project Officer V M Hegde.

He said that as per the revised plan, the gram panchayats have been directed to plant at least 500 saplings on June 11 to launch ‘Swachha Meva Jayate’. The saplings to the gram panchayats are being supplied by the Social Forestry division of the Forest Department and Horticulture Department. The gram panchayat leaders, officers and other leaders of that area will participate in the sapling plantation drive.

Hegde said that south-west monsoon is expected to arrive in Uttara Kannada district on June 10. This will also offer conducive conditions to plant the saplings. The objective of the campaign is to raise plants which provide fruits, flowers and shade. 

The officer even called upon the general public to voluntarily support the plantation drive which aims at conserving the environment.