Guwahati, April 1 -- The much-publicized Amrit Brikhya Andolan-a tree plantation drive that earned the Assam government a world record-has revealed a shocking tale of mismanagement and failure.

A recent RTI reply from the Assam Forest Department has revealed that a fire completely destroyed the plantation in Sikaridanga in Udalguri district, resulting in a loss of Rs 3.13 crore in government funds.

On September 24, 2023, the Assam government made headlines for setting a world record under the Amrit Brikhya Andolan by planting 1 million saplings in 24 hours across 113 hectares of land in Sikaridanga, Udalguri. This initiative was part of a larger state-wide drive, where over 110 million seedlings were planted in a single day on September...