CM Baghel to launch 'Krishna Kunj' plantation drive on Janmashtmi to fortify green cover of state

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], August 19 : In an environment-friendly initiative to increase the green cover of the state, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will launch the 'Krishna Kunj' plantation drive on the auspicious day of Janmashtmi. Trees of cultural and medicinal significance will be planted in selected spots across the state.
A Krishna-Kunj is also being developed at Telibandha in Raipur and Chief Minister Baghel will launch the plantation drive from this 'Krishn Kunj' on 19th of August. Chief Minister Baghel further said, "The initiative has been named 'Krishna-Kunj' so that people understand the god-like and divine values of life-giving trees." He also said that this initiative will help increase the number of trees of cultural significance and help preserve such unique trees.
Several varieties of trees that hold special importance in our culture and Ayurveda like Banyan, Peepal, Kadamba, mangoes, tamarind, plum, Ganga tamarind, Jamun, Ganga ber, Mulberry, Tendu, Chironji, Pomegranate, Kaitha, Neem, Gular, Palas, Guava, Plantation of Sitaphal, Bel, Amla will be planted through this initiative. It is noteworthy that trees like Peepal, Banyan and Neem have a high capacity for releasing oxygen. They also grow at a rapid pace and have a long life and so, this initiative can also contribute to curtailing global warming to a great extent.
The Chief Minister directed all the collectors to allot at least one acre of land to the Forest Department for developing 'Krishna-Kunj'. So far, 162 places in the state have been identified for 'Krishna Kunj'. Preparations for plantation are also being done with great enthusiasm. From this Krishna Janmashtami, the planting of trees will be started in the entire state at dedicated sites.
Due to the indiscriminate felling of trees due to rapid urbanisation in the last few years, the existence of these trees is endangered. The initiative of 'Krishna-Kunj' is being taken up to impart awareness about the importance of trees to our coming generations.
Numerous sites have been selected for Krishna-Kunj which include 10 urban bodies of Raipur district Kurra, Kharora, Birgaon, Attari, Telibandha, Arang, Chandkhuri, Kurud Samoda, Urla. Plantation of plants will be done on Janmashtami in a total of 162 selected sites including 3 sites in Mahasamund of Gariaband district, 2 from Gourela Pendra district, 7 from Koriya district, 3 from Kondagaon district, 4 from Dantewada district, 1-1 from Bijapur district, Sukma and Narayanpur. Full of cultural diversity, every festival of Chhattisgarh is associated with nature and primitive culture. To value and conserve our primitive culture and nature, an exemplary initiative is being taken to save these trees of cultural importance through 'Krishna-Kunj'.