Belgaum Congress Session Centenary: 100 sandalwood saplings to be planted at 100 places says Khandre

Belagavi: As part of the centenary of the Belgaum Congress Session held in 1924 under the presidency of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, 100 sandalwood saplings will be planted at each of 100 places in Belgaum, said Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Eshwar B Khandre.

Speaking at a meeting held with forest officials in Room 318 of the Suvarna Soudha, he said that the Forest Department has also decided to plant and nurture 100, i.e. 10 thousand sandalwood saplings at each of 100 selected places in Belgaum district to commemorate this centenary. In addition to the 2 crore saplings planned to be plant-ed during the Vanamahotsava in the state, an additional 10 lakh saplings will be planted to commemorate the centenary.

Sandalwood is the identity of our country. Kannada is known as the home of sandalwood. Sandalwood trees are worth their weight in gold. Therefore, 100 safe places will be selected to prevent theft of trees, and 100 sandalwood saplings will be planted and grown at each place, he explained.

Photographs of Mahatma Gandhi participating in the Belgaum session in 1924 and a brief description of the session will be displayed at the sites where sandalwood sap-lings will be planted. This will make the current and future generations understand the importance of our freedom struggle. In addition, the fame of Sandalwood, the home of sandalwood, will be perpetuated from Chamarajanagar to Belgaum, said Eshwara Khandre.