DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Forest, Environment, and Wildlife Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, said that the state government is making continuous efforts to promote environmental protection and expand green cover to realise the vision of "Green Haryana ? Green Gurugram."

Under this year's Van Mahotsav, the target is to plant 2 crore 10 lakh saplings across the state. The Forest Department aims to plant mature saplings that will grow into fully developed trees in the next 5?10 years, contributing to the government's mission.

Addressing the 76th district-level Van Mahotsav programme organised by the Forest Department near the KMP Expressway on Wazirpur?Farrukhnagar Road as the Chief Guest, Rao Narbir Singh said that the 135-km-long KMP Expressway is a vital industrial and infrastructural asset of the HSIIDC, and greening both sides of the highway is his goal.

In the first phase, a plantation drive covering approximately 16 km from Manesar to Farrukhnagar has been launched, with a total of 1,01,000 saplings to be planted.

He said that the Van Mahotsav has been celebrated in India since 1950. In Haryana, the event was earlier limited to certain districts, but under the guidance of Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, from 2025 it is being organised on a larger scale across all 22 districts of the state.

The Minister said that Haryana's forest cover is extremely limited, which is a matter of concern. Fortunately, the world's oldest mountain range, the Aravallis, and the youngest range, the Shivaliks, pass through the state, serving as vital oxygen lifelines.

He further said that post-monsoon, development works in the region will actively resume from September 15. He also urged people to actively participate in Gurugram's ongoing polythene-free campaign.

(editor@dailyworld.in)