Bhubaneswar: The government will plant two crore saplings along the banks of Mahanadi to keep the riverbed's water retention capacity intact and maintain perennial flow of tributaries.

The government has launched a two-pronged drive to save the Mahanadi. While a campaign would be launched to sensitise people on the issue of Chhattisgarh's unilateral construction of barrages on the upstream, the government will launch an ambitious programme of planting two crore saplings to create a green cover along its banks.

Forest and environment minister Bijayshree Routray said: "Once the forest cover comes up, the soil will not lose the water retention capacity. Experience reveals that that water retention in the riverbed increases with a rise in the forest cover along it. The river basin is now experiencing a decrease in water flow because of soil erosion."

Routray on Tuesday said: "The plantation will be done on 16,500 hectares over 1km width on both sides of the river. We will also take up the plantation on the banks of Tel and Ib, the tributaries of Mahanadi."

He said: "The plantation of saplings will cover 1,303 villages failing under the jurisdiction of 19 divisions in 15 districts of the state."

Besides, the state government has also planned to set up seven barrages in the downstream of Mahanadi.

The state also plans to bring six tigers from Madhya Pradesh. "There is a plan to bring six tigers from Madhya Pradesh and relocate them at the Satkoshia Tiger Reserve, located on the bank of Mahanadi. The first tiger will come in June. Later the rest will come in a phased manner," said Routray.

The reserve has two old tigers - a male and a female.