Shimla, June 6 -- Himachal Pradesh government has set a target of increasing the state's forest cover to 32% by 2030, said chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday.

The CM was speaking to the media after planting a Chinar sapling at his official residence Oak Over on World Environment Day. At present Himachal's forest cover stands at 29.5%, as per data.

"Planting trees alone is not enough; protecting and ensuring their survival is equally important," Sukhu said while outlining the state's long-term afforestation strategy. The CM said nearly 68% of state's geographical area is classified as forest land, while around 28% is under dense forest cover. "State government has set a target to increase it to 32%."

To strengthen affo...