The forest department officials admit that there has been a drop in plantation target for cities due to this practice. The department is the nodal agency for plantation in the state. It also accounts for the maximum share of land on which plantation is to be done during a year and maximum number of trees which are to be planted. During 2011-12, more than 3 crore trees are to be planted on 55,600 hectare land. Out of this, forest department is supposed to plant over 2 crore saplings on 41,000 hectare. However, due to MGNREGS funding, most of these saplings will go to rural areas as no separate plantation targets are set for cities.
Moreover, for the plantation to be done during monsoons, the department is required to complete advance soil work, and install brick-guards and tree-guards (for city areas) by March-end. However, the activities have not been undertaken as yet, probably due to the expected emphasis on rural areas. "The plantation by forest department in the city has gone down but, there are several other agencies which carry out plantation within city limits," reasoned Mohd Ahasan, additional principal chief conservator of forest, social and agro-forestry, UP.
Notably, the other departments that would carry out plantation in the state are — rural development (1,100 hectare and 7.15 lakh saplings), industrial (1,000 hectare and 6.5 lakh saplings), irrigation (1,000 hectare and 6.5 lakh saplings), PWD (750 hectare, 4.87 lakh saplings), land and water resource (500 hectare, 3.40 lakh saplings), energy (150 hectare, 97,500 saplings) and co-operative (100 hectare and 65,000 saplings). The departments can plant both in rural and city areas.