Jharkhand CM kicks off tree plantation drive
Ranchi, July 2: Nine lakh saplings were planted on Monday on a river bank in Jharkhand under the leadership of Chief Minister Raghubar Das.
He kicked off the 'Nadi Mahotsav' on the banks of the Subarnarekha river in the state. The plantation drive will conclude on August 2.
Addressing a gathering he stressed that "Today simultaneously nine lakh trees will be planted across the river banks as it will help check soil erosion and provide groundwater to the trees."
He said: "This year the forest department has set a target to plant 2.40 crore saplings on 15,300 hectares of land and rejuvenate 7,000 acres of forest land. Last year 2.75 crore saplings were planted on 19,700 hectares of land and 4,600 hectares of forest land was rejuvenated."
He asked the people to make it a people's movement and urged them to join the drive to make Jharkhand clean and green.
"Trees have played a vital role in both science and spirituality. Even from an economic point of view, trees have their own importance. By planting trees like Sal, Sagwan, Forest, and Teak, future expenditure can be meted out," said the Chief Minister.
He added that, to provide adequate food to elephants the forest department has set a target to also rejuvenate bamboo plantation on 1,450 acres of land so that elephants can get adequate food within the forest itself and they do not venture into human habitats.
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‘Take all the cameras and leave’: Israel raids Al Jazeera office in West Bank
Ramallah: The Israel Army raided the offices of Al Jazeera in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday and ordered the bureau to shut down.
Heavily armed and masked Israeli soldiers forcefully entered the building where Al Jazeera’s bureau is and handed the 45-day closure order to the network’s West Bank bureau chief Walid al-Omari, reported Al Jazeera. However, they did not give a reason for the decision.
Israeli soldiers reportedly began to confiscate documents and equipments in the office while tear gas and gunshots were heard in the premises. Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim remarked that the raid and closure order “comes as no surprise,” adding that the Israeli officials have been threatening to close down the bureau.
“There is a court ruling for closing Al Jazeera for 45 days. I ask you to take all the cameras and leave the office at this moment,” an Israeli soldier was reportedly heard as saying in a live footage broadcasted by the channel.
In response to the incident, al-Omari stated that such actions against journalists are aimed at “erasing the truth and preventing people from hearing the truth.”
The Government Media Office in Gaza has called on media organisations and human rights groups worldwide to condemn this action, labelling it a “deafening scandal” and a blatant violation of press and media freedom.
The raid comes months after Israel banned Al Jazeera from operating inside the country in May, alleging that it threatened national security.
