Indian Railways signed MoU with Haryana & Punjab to plant trees alongside Railway Track

Indian Railways on 2 May 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with forest departments of Haryana and Punjab to plant trees alongside Railway Track on Railway Land Boundary.

The MoU was signed by Pankaj Saxena, Chief Engineer /P&D, Northern Railway on behalf of Railways whereas it was by Dr Amrinder Kaur, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) from forest departments.

It paves way for planting 5 lakh trees during this season.

Silent feature of the agreement

This agreement paves way for the following improvements with regard to afforestation on railway land:-

• Railway can contribute substantially towards the Green India Mission.

• Forest department is involved in the plantation as well as maintenance and disposal of trees, thus bringing in the much needed expertise in afforestation.

• Plantation along the railway track on railway land boundary by Forest department without declaring such land as protected forest with the provision for resumption of such land at any time by railways thus no hindrance to railway works / developmental projects.

• Protecting railway land from encroachment.

All Zonal railways have been asked to execute similar agreement between their zones and concerned State Forest departments as early as possible.

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