Amaravati: Forest Department to plant 20 crore saplings in rainy season

Amaravati: The Forest Department decided to plant at least 20 crore saplings during the rainy season.

About 6 crore saplings have already been kept ready, informed AP PCCF N Prateep Kumar in a press release on Monday.

He said that the six crore saplings were located at various nurseries in 13 districts. There are 42.3 lakh saplings at 49 nurseries in Anantapur district, 34.3 lakh saplings at 49 nurseries in Chittoor, 28.7 lakh at 47 nurseries in East Godavari, 16.7 lakh at 21 nurseries in Guntur, 50 lakh at 35 nurseries in Kadapa, 13.3 lakh at 37 nurseries in Krishna, 25 lakh at 49 nurseries in Kurnool, 42.4 lakh at 40 nurseries in Prakasam, 55.5 lakh at 39 nurseries in Nellore, 71.3 lakh at 87 nurseries in Srikakulam, 135.1 lakh at 159 nurseries in Visakhapatnam and 62.6 lakh at 66 nurseries in Vizianagaram district.

Red sanders, sandalwood, teak, neem, tamarind, papaya, goa and many other plant varieties including both fruit-bearing and flower-bearing are to be planted across the State, Prateep Kumar informed.

He further said that the Forest Department would take the support of other departments apart from the people to ensure proper plantation and nurturing of the plants. He said that as part of the government's aim to increase the forest cover to 33 per cent, this initiative has taken by the department.