Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 11 (ANI): Until a few days ago, few motorists passing the 23-hectare gauchar (common grazing) land along the roadside at Kanotar village, about 30 km from Bavla in Ahmedabad district, would have found any reason to stop. Overrun by the invasive Prosopis juliflora (Gando Baval), the highly saline and degraded land offered little more than a bleak landscape. Today, however, the site presents a striking contrast, a release said.
As part of Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah’s ambitious Gandhinagar Hariyali Lok Sabha campaign, the Gujarat Forest Department has begun transforming the barren tract into a thriving native habitat by clearing invasive Prosopis juliflora and replacing it with indigenous plant species.
To improve soil productivity and moisture-holding capacity, the highly saline, degraded land has been treated with gypsum, farmyard manure, vermicompost, and other soil amendments based on site-specific requirements. These interventions are designed to improve soil structure, enhance microbial activity, increase organic matter, and create favourable conditions for healthy root development.
So far, about 23 hectares of land at the site in Kanotar village have been fenced, while the land has undergone extensive ploughing and soil treatment to improve its fertility before the plantation of nearly 2.3 lakh saplings, most of them native species. A solar-powered borewell has also been installed to ensure irrigation for the plantation. The transformation has already begun attracting the attention of people passing through the area.
Kanotar village is not alone. Similar habitat improvement work is underway at all 82 plantation sites managed by the Gujarat Forest Department across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. Of the target of planting 1.25 crore, the Forest Department has been entrusted with planting nearly 60 lakh saplings across 82 sites covering 540.92 hectares in the two districts, it added.
Amit Shah has undertaken an ambitious initiative to transform his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency into one of the greenest constituencies in the country through a massive plantation drive. As part of the campaign to combat climate change, over 1.25 crore saplings are being planted across the constituency this year.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign has been launched, and a nationwide mass movement is underway to make the country greener through public participation.
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this campaign is being expanded across Gujarat under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Another defining feature of the Project is its emphasis on improving habitats through the use of indigenous plant species.
“Rather than relying on a handful of fast-growing commercial tree species, we are introducing around 121 plant species, including 80 native plant species, selected to recreate the region’s ecological character. Of the nearly 60 lakh saplings being planted, more than 6.05 lakh belong to 24 rare, threatened, and endangered native species,” said Vinod Rao, Principal Secretary, Forests and Environment Department, Gujarat.
“Native tree plantations are helping rebuild living ecosystems by restoring natural habitats that support a wide range of wildlife. Unlike exotic species, indigenous trees provide food, shelter, and breeding spaces for native birds, reptiles, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators that have evolved alongside them. Their flowers, fruits, and foliage sustain insects and birds throughout the year, while dense vegetation creates safe corridors for reptiles and small mammals. Improved soil health, moisture retention, and biodiversity further strengthen these habitats, making them more resilient to climate change. As native forests mature, they revive ecological balance, enhance pollination, and create thriving, self-sustaining ecosystems across the region,” Vinod Rao added.
This integrated approach is expected to strengthen ecological resilience, improve climate adaptation, and enhance the ecological quality of degraded habitats across the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. (ANI)
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