Noida (UP), July 3 (PTI) Nine lakh saplings will be planted in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Sunday as part of a major afforestation drive in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Friday.

In 2018, around six lakh saplings were planted in the district, while the figures crossed 10 lakh-mark in 2019, according to official records.

Also Read | Bengaluru: COVID-19 Patient Dies on Road After Awaiting Ambulance For 4 Hours, BBMP Initiates Probe.

Preparations are underway in the district, comprising Noida and Greater Noida, to ensure success of the plantation drive two days later, the officials said.

District Magistrate Suhas L Y has called on officials of all government departments to make sure that saplings are collected in time and pits are dug so that the target of nine lakh plantations could be achieved, according to an official statement.

Also Read | Pulse Oximeter Necessary For Every COVID-19 Patient in Home Isolation, Says Delhi Govt: Live News Breaking & Coronavirus Updates on July 3, 2020.

"Gautam Buddh Nagar is a sensitive district and such a large-scale plantation drive is very important in terms of environment," Suhas said.

"All officials have been told to also apprise the district forest office after completing their targeted plantations immediately so that a record could be maintained," he said.

The DM said the government officials have also been asked to raise awareness about the campaign so that citizens also plant saplings in their area on Sunday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)