Jaipur: Rajasthan’s flagship afforestation drive, Mission Harialo Rajasthan, triggered a political face-off on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma projecting it as a major green success and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully questioning its credibility on the ground.Sharma said the state has set a target of planting 50 crore saplings over five years to turn Rajasthan into a “green state”, adding that nearly 19 crore saplings were planted in the last two years, surpassing monsoon targets. He described the campaign as a participatory model inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative, backed by geotagging and institutional mechanisms such as ‘Namo Nurseries’ and ‘Namo Van’. “The green budget reflects our commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development,” he said. The opposition, however, alleged a gap between official claims and survival on the ground. Jully termed the figures “misleading”, saying many saplings failed due to poor upkeep. “Crores of plants are being shown on paper, but without proper care, many already withered,” he said. He also flagged contradictions, alleging that while plantation drives are promoted, large-scale tree felling has been cleared for projects in parts of the state. Referring to decisions in Baran and protests in Bikaner, he said such actions weaken the campaign’s credibility. Calling the drives “photo-op events”, Jully questioned post-plantation care. “The govt should clarify how many of the claimed 19 crore saplings are actually alive today,” he said. He further raised concerns over grazing land encroachment, mining in forest areas and threats to the Aravalli range, demanding a third-party audit. “Planting trees… is not enough; ensuring their survival is the real responsibility,” he added.
