File picture of uprooted trees lying scattered on Berhampur University campus

Berhampur, Nov. 6: The state forest department will plant 45 lakh seedlings in Ganjam district next year to compensate the forest cover lost in Phailin attack.

Around 75,000 trees in the natural forest areas and around 30,000 trees in the non-forest localities were uprooted and damaged in the district when the cyclone Phailin hit its coast.

“We have had restored the green cover to some extent after the damage done by the 1999 supercyclone. But, the green cover has once again been damaged after 14 years. We are now preparing schemes how to plant trees in these areas to restore the greenery,” said regional chief conservator of forests (Berhampur circle) Jitendra Kumar.

He said: “Around 45 lakh seedlings, which can sustain the wind, will be planted in the district. Phailin has hit hard the forest divisions of Berhampur, Ghumsar north and Ghumsar south.”

Besides, the regional chief conservator of forests said the department would plant 10 lakh seedlings on 2,000 hectares of natural forest area. Another 20 lakh seedlings will be distributed free of cost to private institutions and individuals, so that they can plant it on their own premises.

Moreover, there is a proposal to plant saplings on 30-km roadside coast shelter belt. Kumar appealed to the people to co-operate with the forest department to plant the trees to restore the green cover.

In a related development, Dr Bipin Bihari Pradhan, head of the department of physiology at MKCG Medical College and Hospital, said: “Trees play an important role in diminishing the intensity of sound. With damage to the green cover, the sponging effect to remove carbon dioxide from the air has lost. Insufficient oxygen and excess carbon dioxide in the air would adversely affect people,” said Pradhan.

Pranab Panigrahi of Shastri Nagar recalls that after the 1999 supercyclone, the temperature during the summer season had increased.

“Temperature may also increase in the coming summer. Large-scale plantation of trees is the need of hour,” he said.