Srinagar: The annual plantation drive carried out by the Social Forestry department in schools and colleges will not take place this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The department, however, will carry on the work of sowing trees and plants in gardens, parks, along roads, etc.
Regional Director of the Social Forestry department, Mehraj, told Kashmir Reader that many educational institutions had requested sowing of trees and plants in their campus but unfortunately, it is not possible to do so in this situation.
He added that the department has successfully planted saplings in many parts of Srinagar, mainly varieties of deodar and conifers. Most of the saplings have been planted on footpaths at MA Road, Soura, 90-Feet Road, Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Lal Chowk, Nowgam, Batamaloo, Sanat Nagar, etc, he said.
In Awantipora, 65,000 saplings have been planted. “We had started planting of saplings in the month of March and we continued it till the end of March,” said Farooq Ahmad, District Forest Officer for Awantipora.
“March is the only season for planting these saplings. We have planted them in many areas of Awantipora, including in Tral,” he added.

NAZIMA SIDIQ