Forest department’s ‘Green Guwahati Project’ kicks off at Azara

July 22: The ambitious Green Guwahati Project was formally inaugurated by MP, Queen Ojha at Azara on Thursday. Inaugurating a part of the project from Dharapur to LGBI Airport in the presence of Environment and Forest Minister, Parimal Suklaibaidya, MLA, Ramendra Narayan Kalita, MLA, Hemanga Thakuria and senior officials of the Forest and Environment department, Ojha appealed to the people to plant saplings during the rainy season and to love nature for a healthy living. “Love nature as it permeates our daily lives. Or else it will wreck havoc on us as we are witnessing in some parts of the world,” she quipped.

She said plantation of trees can help to increase the level of oxygen in the atmosphere so vital at a time when the world is gasping for breathe due to scarcity of oxygen in the wake of the pandemic.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Minister Suklaibaidya said the Green Guwahati Project would cover the stretch from Aranya Bhawan situated at Panjabari to LGBI Airport at Borjhar, Azara. Minister Suklaibaidya said the project would make Guwahati, the capital city of Assam and the gateway to the North East Region a green and beautiful city in the next five years. He urged everyone to come forward and lend support to the project to make it successful.

The Minister said that the Forest department has planted more than 10 crore saplings in the past five years. Suklaibaidya said the focus of the department is to go for massive plantation of saplings in the degraded forest areas under CAMPA and French Project. He said there is no dearth of saplings as many nurseries have come up under CAMPA. Urging everyone to protect environment, its flora and fauna, Suklaibaidya said, “We have to protect our environment. Otherwise, our very existence will be at stake.” He said the ecological balance can be maintained through afforestation in a big way and that man-elephant conflicts can be reduced by preventing shrinkage in habitat of elephants by extending the green cover.

Suklaibaidya said one must live in harmony with nature and work for protection of the environment for a healthier lifestyle. He lauded Round Table India for extending financial support for procuring tree guards for the Green Guwahati Project and appealed to other organisations to extend support to the project.

MLAs Ramendra Narayan Kalita and Hemanga Thakuria also spoke on the occasion. CCF, Hemkanta Talukdar delivered the welcome address. Later, Minister Suklaibaidya and other dignitaries planted saplings at the premises of Azara Bondu Milan Natya Mandir.