Van Mahotsav Week at Tata Zoological Park from July 19

Jamshedpur: Tata Steel Zoological Park like will observe Van Mahotsav from July 19 to 26. During this period the zoo management has planned to plant 100-150 tree saplings inside the zoo campus, so that the greenery inside zoo campus is maintained and the loss occurred due to death of old and uprooted trees is compensated.

The week long observance at the zoo will be inaugurated by Satyajit Singh, I.F.S, Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Jamshedpur. About 50 students from city schools are going to participate in tree plantation during the day. This year emphasis will be on planting more indigenous species like Sal, Mahua, Asan, Arjun, Barh, Neem, Karam etc. Fodder trees like Peltophoum ( Copperpod) and Gulmohar shall also be planted.

During the week-long plantation programme inside the zoo, participation from schools, city based NGO�s like Lions club, Inner Wheel club etc. is anticipated. A sale counter for endemic medicinal plants will also be put up on July 20 near the Zoo Education Centre, so that interested visitors can take home saplings for their kitchen / home garden.

Van Mahotsav is a pan India programme which is taken up by all interested organisations involved in conservation of flora and fauna.

The name Van Mahotsava means “the festival of trees”. It began in July 1947 after a flourishing tree planting drive was undertaken in Delhi, in which national leaders like Dr Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru participated. The festival was simultaneously celebrated in a number of states in India.

Since then, thousands of saplings of diverse species are planted with energetic participation of the locals and various agencies like the Forest department.