Assam to Launch 2nd Edition of Amrit Brikshya Andolan with Major Forest Recovery Efforts

In a significant move towards environmental conservation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has unveiled details about the second edition of the Amrit Brikshya Andolan. Announced on Thursday, the initiative builds upon the achievements of the inaugural edition and aims to enhance the state’s forest cover through extensive plantation and land reclamation efforts.

The Chief Minister during a press briefing said that the state government has made considerable progress in forest recovery, including the eviction of encroachers from key areas such as Bura Chapori in Kaziranga, Lumding forest, and Poba reserve forest. These areas are now being utilized for compensatory plantation.

“While addressing erosion and flooding from the Bogi River to Matmara, we have reclaimed a significant area of forest land from the Brahmaputra River. The Mising Council is currently working on reforestation efforts, and we are on track to officially designate this reclaimed land as a forest reserve soon. Additionally, we have evicted encroachers from Kabu Chapori in Dhemaji, and this area will also be declared a forest reserve. In Goalpara, where proposed reserve forests were previously occupied by people, we are conducting evictions to convert these lands into reserve forests. Over the past three years, we have successfully recovered around 10,000 hectares of forest land through these eviction efforts,” stated CM Sarma.

CM Sarma highlighted ongoing projects, such as the reclamation of land from the Brahmaputra River. The state is working with IIT-Guwahati professors collaborating on this effort, he asserted saying, “We are working to narrow and deepen the Brahmaputra River, which has become braided and is causing erosion on both sides. Professors from IIT-Guwahati are involved in this project to reclaim land. One successful project in Bogibeel, Dibrugarh district, has already reclaimed a large area near the site of the Mising Cultural Festival. I wouldn't call it an achievement, but rather a gift from Mother Nature to the state of Assam,” added CM Sarma.

Reflecting on the inaugural edition of the Amrit Brikshya Andolan, Sarma noted that it set impressive records, including the establishment of 10 Guinness World Records. The initiative saw the distribution of 1.12 crore saplings with a 90 percent survival rate. This year, the State Forest Department has prepared an ambitious 4 crore saplings for the upcoming edition, scheduled to run from August 1 to 15.

The second edition aims to surpass last year’s achievements and further promote environmental conservation and sustainability throughout Assam.

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