Forest department inaugurates plastic-free nursery

[caption id="attachment_250606" align="aligncenter" width="565"] PCCF & HoFF, SP Tripathi, along with senior officials of the department at the newly inaugurated plastic-free nursery on May 22 under Kohima Division.[/caption] Dimapur, May 23 (EMN): The first plastic-free forest nursery in Nagaland was inaugurated by SP Tripathi, PCCF & HoFF, in the presence of senior officials of the department in Kohima on May 22. The nursery has a capacity of around 10,000 saplings raised in cloth bags under Kohima division. The plastic free nursery was raised with an objective to reduce single use plastic items for a sustainable future and also to fulfil the mandate of the department to go plastic free by 2022. During the programme DFO Kohima, Rongsenlemla Imchen, has highlighted on the importance of exploring alternatives to single-use plastic bags for raising saplings. She also stressed that though costly and labour intensive, such an initiative would have long term environmental benefits. While addressing the gathering, SP Tripathi touched upon the harmful effects of plastics in relation to environmental pollution and thanked the division for putting its effort into practice. PCCF Nagaland, Rajat Pal, and APCCF, M Ngullie, also spoke at the programme wherein both officers appreciated the initiative of the division and stated that such initiative could be replicated in other districts as well. On the occasion, cloth bag saplings were distributed to village communities from various villages. The program was attended by DFO Kohima, Ranger of Kohima Range, executive staff, village communities, and senior officials of the department.