Chatrapur: With an aim to increase green cover in the district, the Ganjam administration will start ‘One Student, One Tree’ (Pila Tia Gacha Tia) campaign from June 19 encouraging every student to plant a tree at his or her backyard or any nearby places.
Through this initiative, the admin aims to spread awareness about environmental protection among the students, said Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange.
The idea is that comprehensive plantation activities and its maintenance will be ensured through the school students who have achieved success in the past in implementing other mass schemes like Swachha Bharat Mission and Parimal vidyalaya, he said.
The programme will be undertaken with the active participation of BEOs, BDOs, school headmasters, SMC members, parents, PRI member and village gentries, a letter issued by the DRDA, Ganjam said.
The distribution of saplings to the students will be done in a festive mode and with proper supervision by teams to be formed by the BEOs in consultation with BDOs.
The students will be advised to plant the trees within the first day of receipt for sapling and take care of the plant. They will be oriented properly from technical point of view for planting trees like digging of pits, application of manure and bio-pesticides /watering during the function.
The students who can’t plant trees in their backyard due to non-availability of space, such students should be encouraged to plant their trees within the school premises. However, the students will take care of the plant with proper supervision of Headmaster, the admin said.
An evaluation of the campaign will be done after one year by forming a team who will visit the plantation sites and assess the survival and quality of the trees planted.
Best Plantation will be awarded through a Certificate of Appreciation on a special day preferably on Vano Mahotsav, the Collector said.
Under the programme, the BEOs, who shall be designated as the Nodal Officers at the Block level for the successful implementation of the campaign, will obtain the student strength school wise and cluster wise and submit the list to his respective BDO.
The DEO, Ganjam will be District Nodal Officer for implementation of the campaign, the notification added.
The concerned BDOs are designated as the Block level Supervising Officers for the campaign, who will be responsible for sourcing and supply of saplings to the schools for eventual distribution to the students, the admin added.