PRAYAGRAJ, July 13 -- As part of the state-wide mega plantation drive conducted on Sunday, various government departments actively participated in the campaign in Prayagraj district, planting 85.12 lakh saplings. According to the Forest Survey of India, the district recorded an increase of 39.33 square kilometres in green cover between 2017 and 2023. Divisional forest officer Arvind Kumar said the district's existing green cover stands at 169 sq km. The campaign witnessed enthusiastic participation from government departments. Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi' planted a sapling at Chandrashekhar Azad Park in the presence of MLA Guru Prasad Maurya and district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma. At the Allahabad high court, the Chief Justice and 38 other judges planted saplings near the newly constructed Advocates' Building within the court complex. The Chief Justice and his wife also planted saplings at their residence. The drive drew support from a broad cross-section of society, including social and voluntary organisations, educational institutions, civil defence groups, industrial and trade bodies, medical associations, petrol pump operators, brick-kiln associations, and service organisations such as the Rotary and Lions Clubs. At Prof Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) State University, students and faculty members planted more than 1,000 saplings as part of the initiative. According to Pawan Kumar Vishwakarma, deputy director, agriculture, Prayagraj, the agriculture department achieved its target of planting 1.6 million saplings. A key role in mobilising rural communities was played by 25 Krishi Sakhis, who spread awareness across 28 gram panchayats. Beneficiaries of government welfare schemes, particularly recipients of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, also took part in large numbers. One of the campaign's notable innovations was the introduction of a fruit sapling distribution drive, organised for the first time to encourage people to plant fruit-bearing trees. The forest department conducted free distribution programmes at several locations across the district, providing mango saplings to residents. In another initiative linking environmental conservation with public health, drumstick (sahjan) saplings were planted at all Anganwadi centres to promote better nutrition among children and women....