CHITTAGONG.. June 5: The Forest Department has been Implementing a Taka eight crore afforestation programme during the year 1993-94 on 3365 hectares of land in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar with a view to increasing forest resources as well as improving economical balance in the areas.

The afforestation programme which was undertaken in July. 1993. has been progressing saUsfactorily and it is scheduled to be completed in this month.

Conservator of forpst, Chittagong division. AK Abu Taher told BSS here yesterday that the afforestation programme under forest resources management project had been Implemented in short and the long term rotations. Under short term rotation 1765 hectares and under long term rotation 1600 hectares of land were earmarked, he said.

The afforestation programme has been financed by World Bank and internal resources. he added.

Under short and the long term rotations, plantations of indigenous trees like segun. gorzan. chapalis. mehgoni and others were being raised in the naked hilly land of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.

A separate official source said that a coastal afforestation programme costing about Taka 23 lakh was also In the process of implementation in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar coastal areas. Under the coastal afforestation programme, forests are being raised at Moheskhali. Mirsarai. Teknaf and Urir Char at an expenditure of Taka 16.13 lakh on 772 hectares of charland. Mostly keora. and bine plantations are raised in these areas.

Under another coastal afforestation programme. 'Jhaw1 plantation was being raised at Anowara. Banskhali and Kutubdia at an expenditure of Taka 5.17 lakh on 115 acres of high land.

The third coastal afforestation programme is being implemented in Sandip and Kututidia islands at an expenditure of Taka 1.69 lakh in the premises of schools, colleges and madrassahs. Rain tree, akash monl. karai. arjun. mehgoni'varieties of trees are raised in these areas.