What’s in the news?

• The Centre has launched a ₹19,000–crore project to rejuvenate 13 major rivers by planting trees.
• The rivers are the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Cauvery funded by the National Afforestation & Eco-development Board, (MoEF&CC).
• The State Forest Departments will be the key implementing agencies with convergence of schemes of other line departments in the States.

News in detail

• The 13 rivers collectively cover a basin area of 18,90,110 sq. km. or about 57.45% of the geographical area. Their length including 202 tributaries within the delineated surroundings is 42,830 km.
• They would help recharge groundwater, reduce sedimentation, generate ₹449.01 crore from non-timber and other forest produce as well as provide employment of 344 million man–days.
• The document prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education, Dehradun, (ICFRE), proposes many kinds of afforestation for the rivers which include timber species, medicinal plants, grasses, shrubs and fuel fodder and fruit trees.
• Site specific treatments in terms of soil & moisture conservation and plantations of grasses, herbs, forestry and horticultural trees have been proposed for treatment of prioritized sites in the riverscape supported by GIS technique based on consultations with various stakeholders.
• These efforts would help India meet its international climate commitments of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 -3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030 under the Paris Agreement of the UNFCCC; restore 26 million hectares of degraded lands by 2030 and halt biodiversity loss by 2030 under CBD and Sustainable Development Goals.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-launches-19000-cr-river-afforestation-plan/article65225046.ece