Raipur: Chhattisgarh government has developed an action plan to create India’s largest man-made forest on a vast area, using mostly abandoned and non-functional mines for the project. This man made forest will be created at Nandini in Durg district, about 55 km away from the Capital city, Raipur.
The estimated cost of the entire project is cited to be Rs 3.37 crore. The ongoing initiative is expected to be utilised to convert the unproductive and mined-out areas into the natural habitat of jungle, stretching across 3777 acres. Until now, 1120 acres in the region have been transformed into forest area. This year, over 83 thousand saplings of around 30 different species, including medicinal, were planted under the initiative, in 895 acres by the state forest department.
During his inspection, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also planted a banyan plant, as a symbolic gesture under the Jan Van programme.
“It’s a new concept based on environment conservation and been executed with Miyawaki, a Japanese technique that helps in creating dense self-sustaining native forest where the plants as natural and multi-layered grow much faster (around 10 times). Once completed the Nandini forest will be the biggest man-made forest in the country. The project has been chalked out at the behest of the chief minister”, Rakesh Chaturvedi, the state Principal Chief Conservation of Forests (PCCF), explained about the project. The project is likely to take a comprehensive shape in the next couple of years, he added.
In Chhattisgarh, There are plenty of abandoned mines, deserted with little effective reclamation done. They usually made of dolomite-limestones, huge water reservoirs are created inside the forest. Besides, the area also serves as the ideal habitat for birds owing to the massive wetland present in the region. The future plan at Nandini also aims at developing the site as eco-ethnic tourism, which will include landscaping, promotion of water sports and cottages for stay.
Post Your Comments