Kumar Bahukhandi
Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh State is providing oxygen to the whole country like an oxygen zone: CM Vishnu Deo Sai
Chief Minister Sai participated in the seminar organised in the Vidhan Sabha on World Forestry Day on Friday March 21, 2025
World Forestry Day of the year 2025 is based on the theme of Forests and Foods
Raipur: Chhattisgarh: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai today on Friday March 21, 2025 attended the World Forestry Day seminar organized in the committee room of the Vidhan Sabha and gave the message of forest conservation and promotion to the people of the state. Addressing the seminar, Chief Minister Sai said that Chhattisgarh is providing oxygen to the whole of India by becoming the ‘oxygen’ of the country. He informed that 44 percent of the state’s land area is covered with forests, which is not only important from the environmental point of view, but is also an integral part of our cultural and economic heritage.
Chief Minister Sai said that the World Forestry Day of the year 2025 is based on the theme ‘Forest and Food’, which emphasises that forests are not only a source of oxygen but also nutrition, employment and culture. On the same occasion, the Chief Minister released the book ‘Wild Edible Plants in Chhattisgarh State’ and also launched the Bastar Cashew Product of Pudina-Mint Flavor.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that 32 percent of Chhattisgarh’s population is of tribal brothers and sisters who are deeply connected with the forests. He said that our government is providing forest rights lease to the tribal brothers and sisters residing in the forests, so that they can become self-reliant and move forward in the direction of farming. He told that hundreds of minor forest products like Bastar’s tamarind, Jashpur’s Mahua, Chironji, Harra-Baheda are the unique identity of Chhattisgarh, whose value addition is being done to economically empower the tribal families.
Chief Minister Sai praised the natural beauty of Chhattisgarh and said that the waterfalls, tribal culture and rich biodiversity here are becoming the center of attraction for the whole country. Dhudmaras of Bastar has now made a place on the world tourism map. Expansion of tourism is our priority. He also mentioned that under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about four crore trees have been planted in Chhattisgarh.
He said that under the People for People program in Nava Raipur, Peepal has been planted at every intersection, which will become a strong source of pure oxygen in the future. The Peepal tree is scientifically the tree that gives the most oxygen, and this initiative is an effective step towards urban greenery, Sai Added.
Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, while addressing the seminar, said that the forests of Chhattisgarh are counted among the most beautiful forests in the world. Sal and teak trees are the natural beauty here. Sal forests have a unique charm and it is a matter of pride that the forest area in Chhattisgarh is constantly increasing. He said that as long as there are forests, there is life.
Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap said that the entire life of the tribal communities of Chhattisgarh is based on forests. Raising their standard of living is the priority of our government. He said that today the whole world is facing challenges like global warming and climate change, and the most effective solution to this is the expansion of forest area. He said that our tribal brothers and sisters have empirical knowledge of nature – by using it properly we can balance both development and conservation, Dr. Raman Singh Said .
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Saw, MLAs Dharamlal Kaushik, Dharamjit Singh, Yogeshwar Raju Sinha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief of Forest Force Shri V. Srinivas Rao and senior officers of the Forest Department were present on this occasion.
