The Punjab Education Department has launched a massive "Green School" drive in all the state schools where students of more than 17000 schools would plant approximately five lac saplings during this drive. Disclosing this here today, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Education Minister Punjab said that this drive had already been launched in the State schools, in order to imbibe the spirit of conservation of plants into the students so that they could be awaked about the depletion of forests cover, to safeguard our environment and to maintain ecological balance. Besides, this drive would also make them responsible to their collective duties and contribution to the society to preserve the nature's balance. The Minister said that the state forest department had conceded to that the District Forest Officers (DFOs) would provide the saplings of available 45 verities free of cost to the state schools and the Forest Rangers as well as Forest Guards would guide and render help to the school heads for tree plantation. Besides they would also visit the schools for disease free growth of plants. The Education Minister further added that the school heads have also been instructed to plant atleast ten saplings in their school premises and to honour those students who keep the plantations in healthy state.