SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The local government has approved launch of a green initiative from next week, officials said on Thursday.

Under this major environment-friendly initiative 5 million trees will be planted in the region by June 2020.

"In a major environment friendly initiative of planting five million trees by June 2020, the State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik approved the launch of Green Jammu and Kashmir drive from July 8, 2019," a government spokesman said.

"In the first phase, the plantation activities will primarily be focussed in Jammu province, where the plantation season has just started and 900,000 trees over 2,300 hectares are targeted for plantation this monsoon season."

According to officials the massive plantation drive will be carried out by forest, environment and ecology department by involving panchayats, civil society, educational and other institutions and other stakeholders to plant trees over degraded forest land, areas retrieved from encroachment and roadside areas.

Similar drives will be carried out in November-December in Kashmir province and winter zones of Jammu province and thereafter in March-April to achieve the target of 5 million trees by June 2020.