South Sikkim set a Green Mission record – District records 60 % survival rate of saplings planted
Posted by barunroy on May 25, 2008
By SUREN MOHRA
NAMCHI, May 23: In the first and second phase of the State Green Mission in South Sikkim, Temi Tarku and Ralong Constituency has set the record of 60 % survival rate of the saplings planted. This was informed today by the President of Namchi based NGO, Drishti, Vaskar Rai during the meeting organized here by the State Forest Environment and Wild Life Management Department, South District.
The NGO was provided with the responsibility of monitoring and evaluation of Phase I & II of the State Green Mission in the constituencies under South District. While presenting the report, Mr. Rai informed that besides the two constituencies of South District, Damthang has 50% of survival rate while Rateypani constituency has 45 % only. Similarly, Melli has low survival rate of 40% and Jorethang too stood in the same row with the survival rate of 40%. The same was followed by the Khamdong Constituency where the survival rate as per the survey was 40% while Wok has recorded the survival rate of 45%.
With this information, he also suggested the departmental representatives and the Panchayats regarding the various preventive measures to make the mission more successful.
In this meeting being organized for the launching of third and final phase of the State Green Mission in South District, Upadakshya, South Himal Tamang was the chief guest while it was also attended by DC South D Anandan, DFO (T) Uday Gurung, DDO South Dinesh Bhutia, BDOs of different BAC, DFOs of various sectors, Principals of government Schools of Namchi, government officials and the Panchayats. In his address, the chief guest said that the State Green Mission was the vision of Chief Minister to convert Sikkim into the greenest State, for which he stressed on the need of mass participation to make it successful. He further appealed the participants to find out the cause on why the Green Mission has not been successful as expected. Besides plantation of the saplings, the mass awareness is the most necessary one in this State Green Mission, he added.
Addressing the gathering, the DC south stated that Sikkim was the only State in India to start such environment related mission. “In this green mission 70% works has already been completed and remaining 30% is targeted for completion this year,” he informed.
Since the scheme was started in a participatory approach, it is not the works of the forest department and other government departments alone but needs participation of all locals, Panchayats and the schools, the DC said. Stating that the role of nodal officers was vital in their respective constituencies, Mr. Anandan that all the BDOs will be provide with the contact numbers of their respective nodal officers.
The DC also asked the NGOs and the common people to come forward in this mission so that the coming generation will be benefited. “Let us join hands together to make State Green Mission successful, he appealed. Similarly, DFO Udai Gurung highlighted the objectives of State Green Mission in this final phase. He said that the ultimate objective of the third phase was social fencing for the post plantation care. Noble objective of the State Green Mission will be fulfilled only if the post plantation care will be done properly, the DFO said.
He further informed that by May 30, the location and the varieties of the saplings will be finalized and also appealed the nodal officers and Panchayats to inform the department about the location and species of saplings by two days in advance. According to him, the plantation programme will be completed by June. He also said that no funds will be provided for the plantation.
