Sarupathar, Assam: Sarupathar is making a big move for the environment this year, launching a green campaign right before World Environment Day. The plan? Give away five lakh saplings free to people across the constituency and set up a massive 100-bigha Zubeen Garg Nahar Udyan in Uriamghat, right at the Assam–Nagaland border.
On 2nd June, MLA Biswajit Phukan announced the initiative and declared that the initiative is designed to promote large scale afforestation and encourage public engagement in keeping the ecological balance amid the rising temperatures and changing climatic condition.
Under the scheme, saplings will be made available through all 21 panchayats and two municipalities in the constituency from 5th June . The first phase will run from 5th June 5 to 17th June, spreading out around 2.5 lakh saplings throughout village panchayats. The second phase will distribute 2.5 lakh saplings taking the total target to five saplings.
“Every sapling distributed will be a valuable and economically beneficial species. Residents can collect them free of cost from panchayat and municipal offices,” Phukan said.
Alongside the plantation drive, preparations are underway for the creation of the Zubeen Garg Nahar Udyan at Uriamghat. Initially, the plan was to cover 50 bighas, however, the project expanded in size to about 100 Bighas and will involve 5,000 Nahar saplings plantation. According to the MLA, preliminary site development work will begin shortly and the formal plantation event will take place in the next few weeks.
The initiative has received support from the Forest Department, district administration, local organisations, student bodies, self-help groups, women’s groups, and CRPF personnel stationed in the border region.
The project is particularly significant as Uriamghat falls within the Disputed Area Belt along the Assam–Nagaland border, a place that often makes headlines because of ongoing territorial disputes and encroachment issues.