Paper trees dot city
This article published on June 5 2008 in ‘The times of India’ Varanasi issue shows the
working of the
forest department and its achievements. The city had a target of planting 20.96 lakh
saplings plus another 3.21 lakh saplings by the state government and the district magistrate in the year 2007.According to this data the city should have been flooded with plants but it is quiet clear that this target has not been achieved. Varanasi has only 22 hector land for plantation according to the forest department. Some officials claim that the ministry of forests sets these targets without proper survey of land or consulting the division officers.
The forest department lacks in the follow ups, monitoring and maintenance of the saplings once planted .It does not have resources to develop its own nurseries.
So it can be concluded that the city has been flooded with saplings but on paper. People have to be more conscious and help in making Varanasi ‘ANANDVAN’ (garden of bliss)