Mass afforestation drive in Bengal: White and red sandalwood trees planted along Red Road

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

forest department of Bengal has embarked on a significant endeavor to enhance the green cover of the region. A mass afforestation drive was recently organized, with the objective of planting white and red sandalwood trees along Red Road, one of the prominent thoroughfares in the state. The main goal of the initiative is to successfully repopulate these specific trees in other states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

In an interview with TOI, Jyotipriya Mullick, the state forest minister, expressed his optimism regarding the growth of sandalwood trees in Bengal. Following consultations with experts, it was confirmed that the climatic conditions in the state are conducive to their cultivation. The forest minister further revealed that a few red sandalwood saplings were already planted on Red Road as a symbolic beginning to the project.

The ultimate goal is to create a picturesque canopy of red sandalwood trees along this iconic road. Mullick highlighted the significant progress made in expanding the forest cover of the state. Over the past decade, the forest area has witnessed an increase from 17.2% in 2011 to 21.6% in 2021.

Additionally, the forest protected area network has risen from 4.5% to 5.2% of the state's geographical area. As part of ongoing conservation efforts, the state government secured a Rs 650-crore agreement under JICA assistance for forest and biodiversity conservation. In observance of Van Mahotsav, the forest department also planted approximately 1,200 mangrove trees along the banks of the Hooghly River at Babughat.