Varanasi, March 1 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, set a new world record on Sunday, surpassing a Chinese achievement by planting over 2.5 lakh saplings in less than an hour at a planned urban forest, according to an official.
The Guinness World Records officially recognized this achievement.
Rishi Nath, the official judge of Guinness World Records, who was present at the event, confirmed the record by presenting a certificate to Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari and Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal.
The plantation drive was organized by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, which planted 2,51,446 saplings in the urban forest in Sujabad-Domri.
"Today, in Prime Minister Modi's constituency, Varanasi, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) undertook a historic initiative – planting over 2.5 lakh saplings in less than an hour! More than 20,000 citizens participated in this massive effort – a true example of public participation at its best," said an official in a statement issued by the civic agency.
A civic official stated that previously, the record for planting the largest number of trees in one hour was held by the Henan Provincial Committee of China, which planted 1,53,981 trees in 2018.
"Kashi (Varanasi) surpassed that mark through a well-planned strategy, extensive public participation, and the integration of modern technology. The entire campaign was accurately monitored through drone surveillance and a digital counting system," the statement said.
The statement further said that the VMC is developing a large urban forest named "Namo Van" across approximately 350 bighas of land near the Ganga ghats in the Domari area.
Under this project, a total of 3 lakh saplings are being planted, including 2.5 lakh saplings using the Miyawaki method, 10,000 timber trees, and 40,000 fruit-bearing trees, according to the statement.
Additionally, the project will include a 4-kilometer walking path; a meditation and yoga plaza; a 4-hectare flower park; a 2-hectare herbal park; a children's play area, and an open gym plaza.
The statement said that this urban forest will enhance biodiversity, strengthen the Ganga riverbank, and improve ecological balance.
The municipal corporation is expected to generate an annual revenue of around Rs 2 crore from the third year onwards, which could increase to Rs 7 crore by the seventh year, the statement said.
There is also a plan to establish a Naturopathy Plaza here in the future, the statement added.
