Nabarangpur, July 2 {UDN}:As part of the celebrations of the 77th Van Mahotsav (Forest Festival) Week–2026, the Dabugam Forest Range under the Nabarangpur Forest Division organized a large-scale tree plantation programme in the Baigaon Reserved Forest through the Girliguda Forest Protection Committee.
The plantation initiative is being implemented under the Annual Plan of Operations (APO) 2026–27 of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) – Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) Scheme, funded by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Odisha. Under this programme, 10,000 saplings will be planted across 20 hectares of forest land, with the objective of strengthening forest cover, restoring degraded landscapes, conserving biodiversity, and contributing to climate change mitigation.
The inaugural plantation programme was attended by Mrs. Beena Majhi, Chairperson of the Dabugam Panchayat Samiti, as the Chief Guest. Among the distinguished guests were Mrs. Ranju Bhatra, Sarpanch of Chacharaguda Gram Panchayat; Karna Bhatra, Sarpanch Representative; Duryo Bhatra, President of the Girliguda Forest Protection Committee; and senior journalists Rabi Narayan Mohanty and Sanjay Padhi, who also participated in the event.
The programme was conducted under the direct supervision of Dabugam Forest Range Officer Ram Chandra Bhatra. During the event, special recognition was given to Forest Guard Umakanta Pattnaik, who retired on June 30 after serving the Dabugam Forest Range for ten years and earning the admiration and respect of local communities and colleagues through his dedicated service.
Following his retirement, Prafulla Majhi has assumed charge as the new Forest Guard. Other forest personnel who actively assisted in the plantation drive included Kartik Majhi, Tapas Ranjan Pattnaik, Rita Rani Biswasray, Arati Hial, Akashini Karna, and Subhadra Sahu.
According to the plantation plan, 500 saplings are being planted per hectare, resulting in a total of 10,000 saplings across 20 hectares. The plantation campaign officially commenced today with its ceremonial inauguration and will continue throughout the week as part of the 77th Van Mahotsav Week–2026, reflecting the department’s commitment to environmental conservation, ecological restoration, and increasing green cover in the region.
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