Sikkim Launches Mission to Plant Million Oak Trees

Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang kicked off the Mission: Million Oak Trees by 2047 on Tuesday. The plan aims to restore Himalayan oak forests to lock in water security and protect local wildlife. Tamang started the project by planting the first sapling at Lagyap Reserve Forest.

He flagged off nine forest patrol vehicles and a new safari for the Barsey Rhododendron Wildlife Sanctuary. The state also released a new Oak Forest Restoration Manual to guide the work. Tamang called environmental conservation a shared responsibility. He told the crowd: "Large-scale plantation of native oak species would enhance ecological security, protect biodiversity and improve long-term water sustainability across the Himalayan state."

Sikkim currently keeps 47.33 percent of its land under forest cover. Tamang ordered sub-divisional officers to turn vacant government land into plantations and kitchen gardens. He banned all new encroachments on forest property. The state must now keep a strict balance between development and conservation.

The Chief Minister also opened the Sikkim Forest Training Institute at Bulbuley. Built with help from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the center will train staff on forest management. Forest Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha and other top officials joined the event. The government wants scientific monitoring to keep the new trees healthy.