Mixed forest covering more than 1100 acres.
TFP Bureau, Ambikapur; January 30, 2024: Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL) proudly announces a groundbreaking achievement at its coal mine, Parasa East Kanta bans (PEKB), located in Ambikapur. The PEKB mine, recognized with a five-star rating by the Indian Coal Ministry, has set a new record in tree plantation within the mining industry in India.
Until October 2023, PEKB mine has successfully planted over 1.15 million trees on reclaimed land, boasting an impressive success rate of over 90%. This accomplishment stands as the largest tree plantation campaign in India’s mining sector.
In the ongoing year 2023-24, the PEKB mine, in collaboration with the Forest Department, has planted an additional 2.10 lakh trees, surpassing the previous ten years’ records. Remarkably, the mine has excelled in regenerating ‘saal’ trees, a challenging process, by establishing a dense and mixed forest covering more than 1100 acres. Furthermore, the mine has employed a special transplanter machine from Germany to successfully transplant over 9000 ‘saal’ trees.
Implementing Miyawaki Technique
Under this ambitious tree plantation campaign, the PEKB mine has adopted the Miyawaki technique to grow dense forests. Around 84,000 trees have been planted using this Japanese method, resulting in the development of dense forests in an initial phase of approximately three hectares. The Miyawaki technique, discovered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, ensures the growth of forests with 55% to 60% native species, creating evergreen and dense landscapes. Typically, 30000 to 35000 trees are planted in 1 hectare using this technique, a significant increase compared to the conventional method of 2500 trees.
Raj Kumar Pandey, the Garden Department in-charge of the mine, expressed, “Based on the successful experience here, nurseries of ‘saal’ tree plants are being built in the mines of other states as well. With the aim of maintaining the biodiversity of the region, a modern nursery has been built in the PEKB mine, where along with ‘saal’, many other types of plants are prepared.”
Krishna Kumar Neti, a resident of Parasa village near the PEKB mine, shared his joy, stating, “We have seen the trees growing with our own eyes, which have now taken the form of a new forest.”
Shri R K Sharma, CMD of RRVUNL, highlighted the commitment to environmental conservation, stating, “In place of one tree cut, ten trees have been planted. The Utpadan Nigam is making every possible effort to maintain forestation and ecological balance, which is the need of the country.” The PEKB mine aims to continue its tree plantation initiatives in the coming years, contributing to a greener Chhattisgarh.
