Sri Lanka to plant millions of trees for the New Year

Leading News from Sri Lanka::

* Sri Lanka to plant millions of trees for the New Year
Thu, Apr 12, 2012, 11:31 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Apr 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka Ministry of Economic Development has launched a programme to plant hundreds of thousands of trees to mark the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
The tree planting campaign has been launched under the Divi Neguma programme which is carried out to enhance the livelihoods of the people.



Under the tree planting programme, the public are asked to plant a drumstick (Murunga) sapling.

A hybrid variety of short drumstick plants were distributed among the public for this programme.

School students have also been made aware of the programme and the tree planting is to take place at the auspicious time for start of work after partaking of the ceremonial meals for the New Year.

The drumstick plant, botanically known as Moringa oleifera, is a multi-purpose tree promoted as a means to combat poverty and malnutrition.