Environment & Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary today formally launched the series of activities as part of Amrit Briksha Andolan campaign at Veterinary College Playground at Khanapara. The first event under the World Record Event launched today was longest line of potted seedlings arranged in spiral pattern in a 22 km line with 3.5 lakh saplings. The seedlings would be distributed among public on September 10 for next set of events.

Amrit Briksha Andolan is striving for planting 1 crore commercially viable tree saplings in a single day and make a world record. But apart from that, there are other initiatives that are taken to make several additional world records. The objective of the campaign is to promote a tree based economy in Assam and enable people to derive economic benefits by growing commercial trees.

Speaking at the programme, Forest Minister Patowary said that Assam Government is striving towards increasing forest cover in the state from 36 percent to 38 percent. This campaign is envisaged by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma to enable people to take ownership of these commercial trees and derive benefits, he said.

“Next year we are targeting to plant 3 crore saplings. Efforts will be made to produce those tree saplings in our govt nurseries under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority ( CAMPA) fund next year and not import from outside. As many sapling planted each year die due to various reasons, we will try to grow all these trees successfully this time and ensure high success rate.” The Forest Minister said.

Informing that 49 lakh people have already registered themselves on the portal for planting 1 crore saplings, Patowary congratulated forest officials for this campaign. He also elaborated on 9 world records targeted through Amrit Briksha Andolan campaign and he expressed confidence that all records would be achieved.

He also said Srimanta Sankardev highlighted the importance of trees for human society through his quote “eka briksha dasha putra sama” (one tree is equal to 10 sons) and he stressed on the need to nurture trees for reducing the negative effects of global warming and climate change. He thanked Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for envisioning this campaign which will help in increasing the forest cover in Assam.

Adjudicator of Guinness World Records Prabin Patel said that there are strict guidelines which must be followed to achieve a world record and he congratulated Environment & Forest Department, Govt of Assam for taking up such a mammoth exercise.

Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Tea Tribes Welfare Department Minister Sanjay Kishan, Additional Chief Secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad, PCCF & HoFF MK Yadav, DC Kamrup Metro Pallav Gopal Jha and other dignitaries were present at the meeting.