Jamshedpur: The weeklong festival Van Mahotsava kicked off at Tata Zoo on Saturday. Satyajit Singh, Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Jamshedpur and Karma Zimpa Bhutia, Divisional Forest Officer, Jamshedpur jointly inaugurated the festival by planting a Sal (Shorea robusta) sapling each on the occasion.
As many as 48 school children and 2 eco club teachers namely Arun Kumar Mahto from Kerala Public School, Burmamines and K Jayashree from Jusco Public School, South Park participated in the event.
A total of 15 saplings were planted today. Ritu Raj Sinha, member, Tata Steel Zoological Society, Bipul Chakrabarty, director, Tata Zoo, Dr Manik Palit, deputy director and Sanjay Kumar Mahato, curator, were present during the inauguration.
The inaugural programme was coordinated by Seema Rani Mahato, biologist cum Education Officer and other volunteers.
This year emphasis has been given for planting indigenous species like Sal, Mahua, Asan, Arjun, Barh, Neem and Karam. Fodder trees like Peltophoum (Copper pod) and Gulmohar will also be planted. During the weeklong festival, 100 tree and shrub saplings will be planted in the zoo.
A sale counter for endemic medicinal plants was also inaugurated today by Satyajit Singh, Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Jamshedpur. Visitors to the zoo will now get an opportunity to take medicinal plants and shrubs home.
