planting indigenous trees in the state

January 31- The Haryana Government has decided to plantlong-lived indigenous trees, such as- Bar, Pipal, Neem, Jamoa, etc. torestore permanent greenery in the entire State.

While disclosing this today, the Forest Minister, Haryana, Capt.AjaySingh Yadav said that the decision would make a change in the ruralset up, as indigenous trees had been part of traditional life style ofpeople of Haryana. The targets for the next five years’ plantationswould be increased three fold in these categories. He said that the State Government had decided to give a boost to agroforestry in the State with the cooperation of the farmers, as naturalforests in Shivaliks and Aravalis were limited in extent and were alsofacing pressure of development. It had been decided to have a focusedagro forestry institution with Deputy Forest Officer working underDivisional Forests Officer (Territorial) in addition to having acommunity forestry wing that would focus on rehabilitation ofwater-logged sites. Budget allocation for agro forestry would also beincreased by internally mobilising resources and also by providingadditional resources. Seedlings of various species of economically important trees would beplanted on farm land by Forest Department followed by payment ofincentive at Rs two for first year and Rs three for second year afterplanting, he added.

Capt.Yadav said that poplar seedlings already raised by the ForestDepartment for the current year would also be subsidised and sold atRs five per seedling. Eucalyptus species particularly when grown indry areas of the State depletes ground water considering this poplarmight be grown in revering tracks and more of teak seedlings should begrown under agro forestry system. The variety of poplar clones atpresent raised in forest nurseries were a mixture of different clones,which require improvement. In future, only promising clones, such as-Kranti, WSL clones- WSL 22, 29 and 32 would be raised.