West Bengal to plant 50m mangrove trees in Sundarbans in one month: Mamata

Villagers plant mangroves along a river bank in Gosaba block in India's West Bengal state, 9 June 2017.Thomson Reuters Foundation

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that the state government will plant 50 million mangrove trees in Amphan-hit Sundarbans region within one month.

Natural mangrove cover in Sundarbans is a beautiful thing. We have decided to plant 50 million mangrove trees in the region within one month starting from the World Environment Day observed on 5 June.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee

Banerjee said that it is important to protect the natural mangrove cover in the region that protects people and the wildlife living in the biodiversity reserve.

"Natural mangrove cover in Sundarbans is a beautiful thing. We have decided to plant 50 million mangrove trees in the region within one month starting from the World Environment Day observed on 5 June," the chief minister said.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee
File photo

Banerjee said the state environment department would carry out the mangrove plantation activity.

A large part of Sundarbans, spanning across Kolkata's adjoining South 24-Parganas and North 24-Parganas district, was severely battered due to cyclone Amphan on 20 May.