Agartala, July 5 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday led the state-level mass plantation drive with the mission of '5 lakh saplings in 5 minutes' to increase the forest cover in the northeastern state.

After planting a tree and distributing saplings among the local people at Taranagar (Mohanpur) in Western Tripura as part of the mass plantation campaign, the Chief Minister said in a post on X, 'Inspired by the Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's 'Ek Ped (Tree), Maa ke Naam' campaign, today participated in the statewide programme organised by the Forest Department to plant 5,00,000 saplings in just 5 minutes.'

Forest, Science, Technology, Environment Minister Animesh Debbarma said that till Thursday evening the Forest Department had distributed over seven lakh saplings among students, clubs, organisations, banks, central and state security forces so that they could be planted on Friday.

'Our effort to plant trees would not be limited to Friday's event. The mass plantation drive would continue in the monsoon period and beyond,' the minister told IANS.

He said that the Forest Department in association with other departments and organisations would plant 50 lakh more saplings of different varieties in phases to further increase the state's forest cover.

Tripura's current forest cover is over 62 per cent which is good as compared to the other states of the country, said Debbarma, and added, 'We are keen to further expand the forest cover in Tripura to deal with the growing climate change-related challenges.'

While many trees are felled to expand the national highways, state highways, and for various developmental projects, the Forest Department is making all efforts to expand the forest cover through new plantations, he said. 'The forest department has a plan to establish the largest flower park in the region in Tripura,' the minister announced.

/IANS