Odisha government launches a plantation drive ‘Green Mahanadi Mission’

The Odisha government has launched a plantation drive ‘Green Mahanadi Mission’ to stop soil erosion and recharge groundwater reserve of Mahanadi river. Under the mission, more than 5 crore saplings will be planted over an area of 41,000 hectares. The plantation will be done on either side of major rivers of Odisha as well along roadside length of about 5,000 km over a period of five years at an expenditure of around Rs 5,000 crore. To provide additional livelihood opportunities to the locals, the volunteers will plant fruit-bearing trees like mango, jackfruit and jamun within one kilometre radius of the river bank. Apart from Mahanadi, plantation will also be done on the banks of river Tel and Ib. The plantation drive will be implemented jointly by the departments of Forest, Horticulture and Watershed Development.