BHUBANESWAR: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has decided to plant around 15 lakh trees to increase green cover in its land this year. The railways will start the project with the help of the state government, official source said. ECoR sources said the plantation will be carried out under Green India Mission of the Government of India. Railway has been given the task of massive plantation of trees on railway land boundary along the railway track as well as block plantations in its land presently not being used for development work or operational needs.

ECoR chief public relations officer JP Mishra said this will not only help in afforestation but also protect railway land from encroachment. The exercise will be done involving state forest department of the concerning states, he added. Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has written a letter recently to chief minister of the state to help them in the green mission. Ministry of environment and forests has also written to chief secretary to provide all assistance for this. ECoR sources said saplings will be provided by the state government. Plantation will be done in railway land only. Cost of the plantation will be borne by the railways, it added.

Railway Board has instructed to the zone to plant 1200 trees per kilometer along the track and 1000 trees per hectares in case of block plantation. The ECoR is spread over the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Railway has tied up with the states to make its green move success. ECoR zone has three railway divisions. Target for Khurda Road division is 5.5 lakh, 4.5 lakh for Sambalpur and six lakh for Waltair division for this year. ECoR general manager Rajiv Vishnoi has instructed to these divisions to accord topmost priority to this plantation drive. “This is an effort on our part towards green India and a better environment,” he added. Railway PSU like Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) will also plant trees after completion of any construction project, ECoR sources said.



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