Tirhut divisional commissioner SM Raju at the plantation site. Picture by Prakash Kumar

Muzaffarpur, Jan. 19: Bodhgaya could soon develop into a green city. Monks from Buddhist nations have decided to develop the town as Green Bodhgaya by planting five million trees of fruits and medicinal plants in their attempt to fight climate change.

Divisional commissioner S.M. Raju told The Telegraph today: “Taking note of the green mission taken by Tirhut division under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme on the internet, French Buddhist monk Lama Deni Rimpuchi has sent a threemember team on an inspection of plantation sites in Bodh Gaya.”

A team comprising Desi, Qoorliya and Lama Minqure are at present on a three-day recce of the sites of the plantation in Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and East Champaran districts under Tirhut division.

The visiting team inspected Ramapur village in Ratnakar panchayat of Vaishali, Paigamberpur and Aathar villages in Muzaffarpur and several villages under Areraj, Pakridayal blocks of East Champaran and Bairiya block in West Chamaparan district of Tirhut division.

The inspection team of Buddhist monks also prepared a documentary on these plantations.

Desi told The Telegraph they have witnessed excellent plantations of bamboos, fruits and medicinal trees in Tirhut countryside.

Raju said the Buddhist nations, including France, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Japan, Myanmar and Thailand, agreed to develop Bodh Gaya as a Green Bodh Gaya.