Varanasi Creates Guinness Record for Mega Plantation Campaign

Varanasi has entered the Guinness World Records by planting 2,51,446 saplings within one hour. The mega plantation drive was conducted at Sujabad Domari area and successfully surpassed China’s 2018 record of 1,53,981 saplings. The record was officially verified through drone monitoring and a digital counting system, marking a major milestone in India’s urban afforestation efforts.

Guinness World Records: How Varanasi Beat China’s Plantation Record

The plantation drive took place over nearly 350 bighas of land developed as an urban forest.

• 2,51,446 saplings were planted in exactly one hour and breaking China’s previous 2018 Guinness World Records entry.
• The record was confirmed by Guinness adjudicator Rishinath after verification through drone surveillance and digital counting systems.
• The certificate was presented to Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari and Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal.
• The event was coordinated by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation along with multiple government departments and social organisations.

This achievement has positioned Varanasi as a new global benchmark in mass plantation drives.

Sujabad Domari Urban Forest Developed with Miyawaki Technique

The plantation site at Sujabad Domari has been transformed into an urban forest.

• The Miyawaki technique was used, a Japanese method that promotes dense and fast-growing forests.
• Officials expect the area to turn into a thick green cover within 2-3 years.
• A total of 27 native species were planted, including sheesham, Arjun, teak, bamboo, mango, guava, papaya, ashwagandha, shatavari and giloy.
• The forest area has been divided into 60 sectors, each named after famous ghats of Kashi such as Dashashwamedh, Manikarnika, Kedar, and Lalita.

Each sector saw plantation of over 4,000 saplings, ensuring uniform distribution across the site.

Massive Participation in the Guinness World Records Drive

The Guinness World Records plantation event witnessed participation from,

• Indian Army personnel
• NDRF and CRPF teams
• Civil DefenSe and Provincial Armed Constabulary
• Forest and Agriculture Departments
• Namami Gange and DUDA teams
• Thousands of students, NCC cadets and NSS volunteers

This large-scale coordination ensured the successful execution of planting 2.51 lakh saplings within the stipulated time.

Irrigation and Survival Plan for 2.51 Lakh Saplings

To ensure long term survival of the saplings planted under the Guinness World Records initiative:

• A 10.8-km pipeline network has been installed.
• The system is supported by 10 borewells.
• Around 360 rain gun irrigation systems have been deployed.

Officials stated that the project is also expected to generate revenue for the Municipal Corporation through an agreement with a private agency, with projected earnings beginning from the third year.

Question

Q. Varanasi entered the Guinness World Records for planting how many saplings in one hour?

A) 1,53,981
B) 2,00,000
C) 2,51,446
D) 3,00,000