Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday launched a 'Paudhagiri campaign' (plantation drive) to increase the green cover in the state under which over 22 lakh plants will be planted during the monsoon season.He launched the campaign by planting a 'maulsari' sapling in Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex premises here.Khattar said that under the campaign, over 22 lakh students studying in classes 6 to 12 of all government as well as private schools in Haryana will plant a sapling each during these three months of monsoon (July to September).Listing the positive effects of plantation on the environment, he said that every student will get a sapling from the forest department which they can plant either in the courtyard of their house, field, park, school or any open space available in their proximity.
"They can name the plant according to their likes, maybe after the name of great personalities of the country, our freedom fighters or after the name of any of their family members or their ancestors. Every student planting a sapling will have to take care of it for the next 3 years," the CM said.Every 6 months, the student will have to upload a selfie with his or her plant on the App and he or she will be given an incentive of Rs 50 every 6 months by the government, he said.He said that in 3 years the sapling will be in a position to survive on its own and in 10 years it will start giving flowers, fruits, shade and also help in checking global warming.About 3,100 students from various schools of the district participated in the launch of the plantation drive.On the occasion, Haryana Public Works Department and Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh, Gurugram MLA Umesh Agarwal and Sohna MLA Tejpal Tanwar also planted saplings in the stadium premises.