Forest department to plant 53,000 trees in Pune district with help from pvt companies

While, Morde foods pvt ltd will be planting a total of 10,000 trees on 10 hectares investing ₹46 lakh in this project, Cummins India Foundation will be undertaking tree plantation on 20 hectares where 13,000 trees will be planted.

PUNE Forest department of the state government, in association with three private companies has set a target of planting 53,000 trees in Pune district, in multiple phases.

At least 125 students undertook a tree plantation drive, organised by the Pune Municipal Corporation and forest department at Taljai hill in Pune in July.(HT FILE PHOTO)

Srilakshmi Chikkam, Deputy Conservator of Forests at Maharashtra forest department said, “The department has entered into a tripartite agreement with three private companies, last week. The cost of the project is ₹ 3.84 crore which will be generated by three private companies: Morde foods pvt ltd, Cummins India foundations and Mercedes Benz India pvt ltd.”

While, Morde foods pvt ltd will be planting a total of 10,000 trees on 10 hectares investing ₹46 lakh in this project, Cummins India Foundation will be undertaking tree plantation on 20 hectares where 13,000 trees will be planted.

Mercedes Benz India pvt ltd will be making the highest contribution to the project, of ₹2 .17 crore where 30 thousand trees will be planted on a total of 40 hectares of the forest land in the district.

Santosh Iyer, vice-president, customer services and corporate affairs at Mercedes Benz India said, “Mercedes-Benz India will be planting 30,000 trees in Ambegaon, and will provide for their growth in the next 3 years. This plantation initiative carried on with the help of local communities will bring a significant change in their lives, as they will not only find an alternate livelihood, but also benefit from the increased vegetation in their area.”

The state government has appealed the multinational companies willing to invest in the initiative of tree plantation on the forest land through its corporate social responsibility funds.