Most of the saplings planted in Sunamganj under the government's '250 million trees in five years' programme are dying. Environmental activists blame poor planting and a lack of care and maintenance, and there are allegations that not even the planned number of saplings was planted.

The government's National Green Mission aims to plant 250 million trees nationwide over five years to protect forests, wildlife, the environment and biodiversity and to build green belts against climate change. According to a work-plan letter, for the part implemented by the rural development and cooperatives ministry and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), each tree costs the government Tk 838: Tk 200 for the sapling, Tk 533 for planting and Tk 105 for care and maintenance.

LGED in Sunamganj says 10,000 saplings will be planted in the district this year, with 1,000 in Sadar, 1,000 in Shantiganj, 500 in Jagannathpur, 500 in Derai and 2,000 in Chhatak already planted. The reporter found the figures did not match the ground. In Derai, papers show 500 trees in Kulanj village and three each at 163 primary schools, 489 in all, but no credible record of the planting could be found; one head teacher said her school planted trees at its own cost after receiving none.

Two roads in Jamalganj were to get 2,000 saplings at a budgeted Tk 1,677,200; a little over 500 were planted. On the Nayahalot-Chanpur stretch about 250 were counted, most of them dead, fenced with mosquito-net-like mesh. In Tahirpur, no sign of planting was found despite an allocation.

LGED executive engineer Md Anwar Hossain said 10,000 trees will be planted in the district in total, 5,000 so far, and he will ask why the rest were not. Additional deputy commissioner (general) Md Matiur Rahman Khan said any allegation of irregularity would be investigated. Forest department range officer Md Riaz Uddin said a proposal to plant 2.7 million trees has been sent but not yet approved.

Sajal Kanti Sarkar of the environmental group Dharitri Rakshay Amra (DHARA) in Sunamganj said nobody follows up once trees are planted; protection and care matter more than planting, and without accountability tree planting too is open to irregularities. The report is by Ajker Patrika's Sunamganj correspondent Biswajit Roy.

Source: Ajker Patrika