Gehlot alleges scam in plantation drive in Raj

Jaipur: Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday alleged a scam in the state government’s plantation drive and demanded an inquiry into the matter. He also claimed that the BJP government has failed to carry forward the legacy of the previous Congress regime in increasing the state’s green cover.

Citing figures presented in the Lok Sabha, Gehlot said the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change showed that Rajasthan’s forest and tree cover increased from 26,995 sq km to 27,389 sq km during the previous Congress government’s tenure, registering a rise of 394.46 sq km.

The veteran Congress leader also claimed that Rajasthan ranked fourth in the country in terms of increase in forest and tree cover during the period. The achievement was significant for a state where nearly two-thirds of the geographical area is covered by the Thar desert, Gehlot said.

He also claimed that Rajasthan accounted for more than 27 per cent of the country’s total increase of 1,446 sq km in green cover during the period. Madhya Pradesh, which is ruled by the BJP, recorded the country’s largest decline in green cover, while Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab together could not match Rajasthan’s increase, the former chief minister claimed.