Jajpur: Large scale encroachment of school land in this district has hit the state government sponsored mega plantation drive in schools under the Institutional Plantation Programme (IPP), a report said.
Moreover, lack of proper initiative, necessary infrastructure, irrigation facilities and maintenance of planted saplings have also affected the plantation drive.
This has happened despite crores being pumped into the plantation drive. On the other hand, precious trees are being felled for expansion of mines and establishment of industrial units.
The state horticulture department has drawn out a plan for a massive plantation drive in 8,000 schools in the state under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) as part of the government’s 5T initiative. Among the schools, the share of Jajpur district is 340 schools.
As per an initial estimate, each school is being provided 50 plants which can be multiplied on a pro-rata basis. The district collectors-cum-DPCs of MGNREGS and project directors of district rural development agencies (DRDAs) have been asked to identify schools to be involved in the programme preferably having boundary walls.
The purpose of the plantation is not only to preserve the environment and add nutritional value to the midday meal programme but also sensitise the future generation about the importance of nature.
The programme is being executed by forest department, horticulture department, soil conservation department and Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) with active involvement of School Management Committees (SMCs).
Reports said many of the selected schools have enough land for planting trees but the plantation drive has turned a farce in these schools due to large scale encroachment of land.
The Narsingh Chowdhury (NC) High School at Vyasanagar established in 1945 is a case in point. Reports said half of the school’s land has been encroached upon. These people have built shops on these lands and are carrying out their businesses.
The then headmistress Sanjukta Mohapatra had lodged a complaint with the Jajpur sub-collector in 2013. The sub-collector then had initiated process to free the land from encroachments. However, nothing much has been done in this regard after a change of guard in the district administration.
The students have planted some saplings in the rest of the school land but these saplings have withered due to lack of maintenance. Similarly, many of the schools in the district have scope for plantation but the programme has failed due to lack of initiative.
When contacted, Krushna Chandra Nayak, district education officer, said eco-clubs formed in schools are taking up plantation drive on their premises every year. However, he had no knowledge about encroachments in NC High School but assured to conduct a probe and take steps in this regard.