Bhubaneswar, Jan. 16: The state government has spent Rs 4,558 for planting a sapling in Chitrakanoda town of tribal-dominated Malkangiri district under the avenue plantation programme.

However, the cost went down drastically in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. It was Rs 203 and Rs 117, respectively.

A total of 4,77,046 saplings were planted in 11 towns of the state between 2005-06 and 2009-10 under the programme for Rs 383.42 lakh. The survival rate of trees varied from 42 to 92 per cent. Different divisional forest officers (DFOs) sought to explain the drastic variation in survival rate of the saplings in different ways with some stoutly defending the expenses. However, many agreed that there were irregularities in the scheme. While many of the DFOs felt that wilted saplings should be replaced with fresh ones, others ignored it.

While Malkangiri division town spent Rs 833 on each sapling, Chitrokonda spent Rs 4,558. It was Rs 625 per sapling in Balimela town. Malkangiri DFO Anil Kumar Das said there might have been irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, but there was no corruption during his tenure since 2009.

In the Phulbani forest division, where only 83 of the 167 saplings survived taking the effective cost of plantation per sapling to Rs 2,618, the irregularities were too glaring to be ignored. Phulbani DFO J Jayananda said: “The money for plantation was given to an NGO and we were only monitoring the programme. The plants that withered would soon be replaced.” He added that the cost was calculated taking into account the total number of saplings planted and not their survival rate. “The price will escalate if we also take into account the cost of the iron fence,” he said.

On the other hand, Cuttack DFO Abhimanu Behera was happy with the achievement of his division vis-à-vis the scheme. “We have spent much less in comparison on the survival of plants. Our survival rate varies from 80 to 90 per cent. The division spent Rs 117 for survival of each sapling in Kendrapara town. The cost has escalated because of various reasons in Jagatsinghpur town,” said Behera. In Rajnagar town of Kendrapara district, the state government has spent nearly Rs 2 lakh to plant 4,000 saplings during this period. As many as 3,800 plants survived with cost per plant working out to around Rs 52.

Balasore DFO Kedara Swain sought to justify the high cost of saplings that survived. The division planted 245 trees in Balasore town out of which only 147 survived. The cost of each plant came to around Rs 842. “The cost has escalated because we have made permanent arrangement to ensure the survival and growth of each sapling,” said Swain.

The Balangir division spent Rs 16.7153 lakh to plant 1,65,600 saplings with a survival rate of 49 per cent. Following the failure of the avenue plantation scheme, the state government has decided to undertake massive plantation under the NREGS programme in five districts. “We will undertake plantation in 46,000 hectres in the coming days. The focus will be on planting fruit bearing trees such as, mango and cashew nuts,” said chief secretary Bijay Patnaik. Sources said plantation drive would be taken up in Koraput, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Keonjhar districts.

Bhubaneswar, January 5: Believe it or not, the state government has spent Rs. 4,558 for planting a sapling in Chitrakanoda town of tribal dominated Malkangiri district under the avenue plantation programme.

However, the cost went down drastically in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. It was Rs.203 and s.117 respectively.

A total of 4,77,046 saplings were planted in 11 towns of the state between 2005-06 and 2009-10 under the programme at a cost of Rs.383.42 lakh. The survival rate of trees varied from 42 to 92 percent.

Different Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) sought to explain the drastic variation in survival rate of the saplings in different ways with some defending the expenses stoutly. However many agreed that there were irregularities in the scheme. While many of the DFOs felt that saplings that wilted should be replaced with fresh ones others just ignored it.

The strangest was the case of Malknagiri division with Malkangiri division town itself spending Rs. 833 on each sapling but Chitrokonda spent Rs 4,558 while it was Rs. 625 per sapling in Balimela town. Malkangiri DFO, Anil Kumar Das said there might have been irregularities in the implementation of the scheme but there was no corruption during his tenure which began in 2009.

In the Phulbani forest division where only 83 of the 167 saplings survived taking the effective cost of plantation per sapling to Rs.2618 the irregularities were too glaring to be ignored. Admitting as much Phulbani DFO J. Jayananda said “ the money for plantation was given to an NGO and we only monitoring the programme. The plants that withered would soon be replaced.” He added that the cost was calculated taking into account the total number of saplings planted and not their survival rate. “ The price will escalate if we also take into account the cost of the iron fence,” he said.

On the other hand Cuttack DFO Abhimanu Behera was happy with the achievement of his division vis-à-vis the scheme. “We have spent much less in comparison on the survival of plants. Our survival rate varies from 80 to 90 per cent. We have already replaced the dead plants with new saplings. The division spent Rs. 117 for survival of each sapling in Kendrapara town. The cost has escalated because of various reasons in Jagatsinghpur town,” said Behera.

In Rajnagar town of Kendrapara district, the State government has spent nearly Rs 2 lakh to plant 4000 saplings during this period. As many as 3800 plants survived with cost per plant working out to around Rs 52.

On the other hand, Balasore DFO Kedara Swain sought to justify the high cost of saplings that survived. The division planted 245 trees in Balasore town out of which only 147 survived. The cost of each plant came to around Rs 842. “ The cost has escalated because we have made permanent arrangement to ensure the survival and growth of each sapling,” argued Swain.

The Balangir division spent Rs 16.7153 lakh to plant 16,5600 saplings with a survival rate of 49 percent. Following the failure of the avenue plantation scheme , the state government has decided to undertake massive plantation under the NREGS programme in five districts. “We will undertake plantation in 46,000 hectres in the coming days. The focus will be on planting fruit bearing trees like mango and cashew nuts,” said chief secretary Bijay Patnaik. Sources said plantation drive would be taken up in Koraput, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Keonjhar districts.