Chhattisgarh: CM Baghel on Wednesday inaugurated the man-made forest at the Nandini Hills in the Durg district. Inspecting the abandoned mining land CM Baghel appreciated the efforts and called them a commendable step towards conservation of the environment and pollution. He planted a Banyan sapling under the Jan Van Program. Additionally, several medicinal plants and orchids were planted over 100 acres of land.
Speaking on the occasion, Forest and Climate in-charge Minister of Durg Mohd Akbar said,” We have taken several major steps to preserve nature including the Lemru Elephant project, plantation along the river banks and others.” He also informed that the forest would host a bird park and would become a tourist spot in the coming years. Apart from Mr Akbar, several eminent leaders like PHE Minister Guru Rudra Kumar, Higher Education Minister Umesh Patel, CF Mrs Shalini Raina, Collector Dr Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure and DFO Mr Dhammsheel Ganveer were also present at the inauguration.
DFO Dhammsheel informed that nearly 83,000 saplings were planted across 885 acres of land as the initial phase of the forest development. It should be noted that the over 17km of the forest spread already possessed teak and gooseberry trees that would add up to the additionally panted saplings.
This is the biggest ecological restoration across the country where Chhattisgarh spearheads to outlaw all existing forests and introduce the country’s biggest human-made forest area by converting a 2,500 acre of barren land into natural habitat at Nandini mines located in the Durg district.