Image Source: Jagran
A Greener Week for Bengal
West Bengal has just launched Banmahotsav 2025, a weeklong tree-planting campaign that runs from July 14 to 20. The goal is ambitious: plant 40 crore saplings across the state. It’s one of the largest efforts of its kind in India, and it’s all about fighting climate change, restoring green spaces, and getting everyone involved in caring for the environment.
What’s Happening
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The campaign encourages people in cities to plant two saplings each, while those in rural areas are asked to plant five. Free seedlings are being handed out at state forest nurseries.
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The Department of Forests is leading the charge, but they’re not doing it alone. Local self-help groups, schools, municipalities, panchayats, and community organizations are all pitching in.
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Forest minister Birbaha Hansda kicked things off by sending out awareness tableaus from Aranya Bhaban in Kolkata. These mobile units will travel around, giving out seedlings and sharing why trees matter.
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There’s a big launch event at Bengal Safari in Siliguri, plus 23 district-level and 2 sub-divisional programs to make sure the campaign reaches every corner of the state.
How It Works
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Anyone can pick up free saplings: two per person in urban areas, five per person in villages.
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Joint Forest Management Committees are working with the government to keep an eye on the new plantings and make sure they’re protected.
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The campaign is asking everyone, including elected officials, to help care for the saplings for at least six months so they have a better chance of surviving.
Why It Matters
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West Bengal has already increased its forest cover from 17.2% to 21.6% over the last decade, but there’s still a lot of work to do, especially in non-forest areas.
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Planting 40 crore saplings should help clean the air, stop soil erosion, boost biodiversity, and make a real dent in the effects of climate change.
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The drive also supports rural communities by promoting fruit and native tree species, and by involving locals in the long-term care of the new trees.
Looking Forward
Banmahotsav 2025 isn’t just about planting trees for a week. It’s a call for everyone in West Bengal to take responsibility for the environment. With so many people involved and a focus on both planting and protecting saplings, the state hopes to set a new standard for ecological restoration and community action.
Sources: Times of India, The Statesman, Economic Times, Grow Billion Trees, AITC Official, MyBharat, Millennium Post
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