The West Bengal Forest department will undertake a plantation drive along the sea beach in the popular tourist resort of Digha in Purba Medinipur district in collaboration with the local development authority, a senior minister said.

Cyclone Amphan had uprooted a large number of trees in the coastal belt two months back.

Forest minister Rajib Banerjee on Tuesday said sturdy trees, which are not easily uprooted during severe storms and which will go well with the soil character of the area, will be preferred for plantation while some of the felled trees will be replanted in the project which will be completed by this time in 2021.

He said the project is being implemented in collaboration with Digha Development Authority.

The tendering process of the plantation drive, which will be carried along around 2 km stretch in New Digha area, is nearing completion, an official said.

Another forest official said apart from neem, arjun trees, coconut and areca nut and date palm will also be planted along the stretch which will start from Digha railway station.

“Trained staff of the forest department will water the plants. The entire area will be further beautified in a year’s time,” the official said.

Meanwhile, a drive to plant four lakh mangrove trees in Amphan-hit villages of Sunderbans began on Tuesday by an NGO Kolkata Society of Cultural Heritage which works for protecting the environment and people.

“Till now we have planted over 12,000 mangroves and more than two lakh seeds are already being implanted in the local nurseries. We have collected about 6 lakh mangrove seeds so far,” a spokesman of the NGO said.

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