CAPF Has Planted Over 6.4 Crore Trees Since 2019, Says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have planted more than 6.40 crore trees of various species across the country since 2019 as part of a nationwide afforestation drive aimed at strengthening forest cover and protecting the environment.

Addressing Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the Lankamura Border Outpost along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura’s West Tripura district, Shah said plantation efforts would continue this year, with additional focus on replacing saplings that failed to survive in previous drives.

“Since 2019, the CAPF collectively has planted over 6.40 crore trees of various species across the country. This year, around 40 lakh to 60 lakh trees will be planted, and replantation will be undertaken in areas where earlier plantations did not survive,” he said.

The Home Minister added that CAPF aims to plant two crore trees next year as part of its ongoing environmental conservation campaign.

Shah noted that rapid urbanisation and large-scale tree felling for development projects have contributed to rising temperatures and climate change, affecting agriculture, human life and the ozone layer.

“Increasing forest cover, protecting existing forests, and adopting environment-friendly measures are the only solutions to counter the changing environmental conditions,” he said.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Shah, accompanied by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and other dignitaries, planted saplings at the Lankamura Border Outpost. He urged stakeholders to undertake large-scale afforestation for future generations and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on environmental protection, energy conservation, and tree plantation.

Shah said India is actively following the Paris Agreement on climate change and remains committed to sustainable development. He also stressed the need to protect forests and natural resources, warning that unchecked climate change and ozone depletion could make the planet uninhabitable in the future.