Why in news? ‘Sasya Shyamala’ scheme was launched to plant over 50 lakh saplings in the next one year

Highlights:

• The Department of school education and literacy, in association with department of forest and environment launched the scheme
• The scheme was launched in the historic Kote School, where Kengal Hanumantayya, the builder of Vidhana Soudha, studied.
• The government will plant 25 crore saplings across the state over next five years

What are the features of the scheme?

• The Scheme aims to plant 50L saplings in government schools of Karnataka
• The programme was announced in the state budget to create awareness among the students about the importance of environment.
• Children from classes 1 to 12 will be involved in planting the saplings and maximum of 50 saplings will be given to each school.
• In 17 districts, including Kalyan Karnataka, with sparse green cover, instead of 50 saplings, 100 saplings will be provided under the scheme
• If the number of children is more, two to three children will be assigned to take care of one sapling.
• Once the sapling is planted, children have to take care of the same for the next two years by watering it.
• All these plants are geo-tagged, and an audit will be done to see survival of plants after 5 years