Aizawl, June 21 (PTI) Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, his cabinet colleagues and senior officials planted around 1,500 species of tree saplings at Mizoram University Campus today to mark the Green Mizoram Day observed every year since 1998, an official statement said. In a brief function held at the Multipurpose Hall of the University, Lal Thanhawla said that protection of trees planted should be given utmost importance and that global warming and climate change could be offset by planting more trees to protect the environment. Around 16.5 lakh tree saplings have been planted under Greem Mizoram Day programme since 1998 till 2009, the statement said, adding that the survival rate was even 100 per cent in many places. The 26the battalion of the Assam Rifles also organised mass tree planting at the battalion headquarters here where jawans and students of different schools in Aizawl participated while Green Mizoram Day was also observed in south Mizoram's Lunglei district today.