In Uttar Pradesh, during the ‘Mega Plantation Drive’ held in the Sujabad Domari area of Varanasi yesterday, residents planted 2 lakh 51 thousand 446 saplings within just one hour, breaking China’s eight-year-old record. On the occasion, Guinness World Records judge Rishinath presented the certificate to Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari and Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal.
On 10th of March in 2018, China’s Henan Provincial Committee and Henan Shifange Greening Engineering Company set a world record by planting 1 lakh 53 thousand 981 saplings. Yesterday, Guinness World Records adjudicator Rishinath and World Record strategist Nischal Barot monitored every activity on-site. After accurate verification through drone cameras and modern digital counting systems, Rishinath officially announced the new record.
The most unique feature of this urban forest lies in its design and conceptual foundation. The entire forest area has been divided into 60 different sectors. Each sector has been named after Kashi’s famous Ganga ghats, such as Dashashwamedh, Lalita Ghat, Naya Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Kedar Ghat, Chausatti Ghat, Man Mandir Ghat, and Sheetla Ghat. In the future, when these saplings grow into trees, the riverside will resemble a lush green ‘Mini Kashi.’
Each sector has more than 4,000 saplings planted. A total of 27 native species have been included, such as Sheesham, Arjun, Teak, and Bamboo, along with fruit-bearing trees like Mango, Guava, and Papaya, and medicinal plants such as Ashwagandha, Shatavari, and Giloy.
Personnel from the 39 GTC, 34 GTC, 39 GR, and 137 CFTF (TA) units of the Indian Army along with teams from NDRF, CRPF, Civil Defence, and the 36th and 39th battalions of the Provincial Armed Constabulary of Uttar Pradesh also participated energetically in the plantation drive.
Teams from Namami Gange, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, Agriculture Department, DUDA, and the Municipal Corporation handled technical management and irrigation arrangements. Thousands of students from Kashi Vidyapith, UP College, Dehradun Public School, and Mukularendam School, along with NCC cadets and NSS volunteers, turned the event into a mass movement.
