Assam has unveiled an ambitious environmental roadmap under its "Green Vision" initiative, announcing a series of large-scale programmes to expand forest cover, restore degraded landscapes and encourage public participation in conservation. The announcement was made by Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah during the 77th Van Mahotsav celebrations at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, where he joined local residents, forest officials and volunteers in planting 77 saplings. The minister said environmental conservation can only succeed through active participation from every section of society.

One of the key initiatives announced is the Amrit Brikshya Andolan, under which the state plans to plant one crore saplings between August 10 and August 14, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations. The campaign is expected to involve nearly 10 lakh students from schools, colleges, engineering institutions and medical colleges across Assam. Each participant will plant ten saplings, making it one of the state's largest student-led plantation drives.

To improve the long-term survival of the plantations, the government has introduced a support mechanism involving job card holders, who will assist students in nurturing the saplings. Financial incentives will be linked to the survival rate of the trees, while students who successfully maintain their plantations through geo-tagged monitoring will receive the 'Briksha Bandhu' certificate in recognition of their efforts. Officials said the objective is not only to plant trees but to ensure they grow into healthy forests.

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The Forest Minister also announced the launch of 'Phalbari', a programme scheduled to begin next year that aims to distribute one crore indigenous fruit saplings across Assam. The initiative will promote traditional fruit-bearing species such as mango, jackfruit, leteku, paniyal, kordoi and kaji nemu to strengthen biodiversity while improving food and nutritional security. Preparations for nursery development under the project are expected to begin later this year.

As part of efforts to encourage greater public participation, every Forest Range in Assam will establish a 'Janmadin Seuj Shopath' (Birthday Garden), where people will be encouraged to celebrate birthdays by planting trees. The programme is set to be launched on July 7, the concluding day of Van Mahotsav, and will be supported through an online portal for advance sapling bookings. The minister also announced a Char-Chapori Greening Initiative, under which drones will disperse seed balls across barren riverine areas along the Brahmaputra as part of a pilot restoration project.

Reaffirming the government's commitment to environmental conservation, Mallabaruah said action against illegal sawmills would continue across the state. He warned that Range Officers and Divisional Forest Officers would be held accountable if illegal sawmills continued operating within their jurisdictions. The government said the combined focus on afforestation, ecological restoration and community participation is aimed at building a greener, more sustainable Assam while preserving the state's rich natural heritage for future generations.

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