‘5 lakh saplings planted in Patna since 2012’

PATNA: Approximately 5,86,060 saplings have been planted in Patna district since 2012 till now, said deputy chief minister (CM) Sushil Kumar Modi (SuMo) in reply to a ‘short notice’ question by BJP MLC Nawal Kishore Yadav in the state legislative council on Thursday.
Yadav pointed out that temperature in Patna was rising continuously as a result of large scale deforestation in the name of development.
“As many as 1,096 trees were chopped off in 2016-17 and 6,050 saplings planted. In 2017-18, 1,222 trees were cut and 1,610 saplings planted and in 2018-19, 925 trees were cut and 18,165 saplings planted. However, owing to the lack of space for planting saplings in the city, the plantation drive was carried out in other parts of the district,” SuMo, who is also in charge of the environment and forest department, said, adding saplings were being planted on vacant lands in the state capital.
RJD MLC Subodh Kumar raised a question pertaining to decrease in forest cover in the state, which was leading to floods and droughts. SuMo, however, said, “According to a survey done in 2011, the green cover was 9.79%, which went up to 15.04% in 2017. Against the target of 24 crore, 18.47 crore saplings have been planted from 2012 to 2017.”
Replying to another question raised by JD (U) MLC Satish Kumar regarding poaching of dolphins in Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bhagalpur, SuMo said, “Awareness campaigns are being carried out in this regard for the last five years. If a dolphin gets caught by a fisherman, the net is cut. The fisherman is paid a compensation of Rs 20,000.”
SuMo also pointed out that the postmortem report of the dead dolphin found near Balughat in Sultanganj had revealed that the fish died of disease and was not killed for its oil.