PRAYAGRAJ, July 9 -- Starting on Wednesday, Prayagraj will intensify its extensive tree plantation campaign, aiming to transform the district's landscape. According to Arvind Kumar, nodal officer and divisional forest officer (DFO) of Prayagraj, this year's target is to plant 7,771,700 saplings across the district. Over 24 government departments have been assigned specific plantation targets. The forest department leads with a goal of 2,265,500 saplings, followed by the rural development department with 2,987,000; the agriculture department, 953,000; the horticulture department, 369,000; and the environment department, 227,000 saplings. Plantation activities will be conducted daily from 6 am to 5 pm across 11,876 locations throughout the district. The state government is prioritising this campaign, employing scientific methods to improve the survival rate of the saplings. Officials noted that previous efforts faced challenges due to soil pH mismatches at planting sites. To address this, soil samples have been tested at each location, ensuring that sapling species are selected based on soil compatibility. Additionally, 20% of the saplings planted will be fruit-bearing varieties. Along riverbanks, species such as Jamun, Arjun, and Teak have been chosen for their ecological benefits. In urban areas, the campaign will emphasise the 'Miyawaki' method-a dense forestation technique that fosters thick, sustainable green cover. Chief development officer (CDO) Harshika Singh has directed officials to geo-tag every sapling and upload the data onto a dedicated app. She stressed that plantation data from each village council and urban local body must be compiled and submitted location-wise at one-hour intervals to the block development officer (BDO) and district soil and testing officer (DSTO). Furthermore, Singh has instructed the higher education department officials to collaborate with self-financed and private colleges, while the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) will ensure that the names of students planting saplings in schools are recorded alongside the respective plants. DFO Arvind Yadav confirmed that geo-tagging will be conducted using the Haritima app. Citizens participating in the 'Ek ped ma ke naam' campaign are encouraged to take selfies with their planted saplings and share them on the 'Meri Life Portal' to raise awareness and community engagement....