Govt to launch plantation drive to keep environment in balance

The State Government has decided to launch plantation drive on a large scale for town planning and maintenance of environmental balance in urban areas of the State. Along with Municipal Corporations, Nagar Palikas and Nagar Parishads, targets of plantation have also been given to development authorities. 

The Government has directed Commissioners of Municipal Corporations, CEOs of development authorities and Chief Municipal Officers of Nagar Palikas and Nagar Parishads to conduct a survey in this regard.

It would be seen in the survey as to how much area is to be covered under plantation. Directives have been given to undertake intensive plantation during current monsoon on all major roads, parks and green belts reserved under development plan in cities. It has been directed to ensure plantation in urban residential colonies with the cooperation of colonizers and residents. Besides, directives have been given to ensure plantation in offices of Central and state governments, public undertakings and academic institutions.

Directives have been given for proper coordination with nurseries for supply of saplings as per assessment of specie-wise saplings. It has been instructed to ensure total transparency in purchase of saplings from nurseries as well as their quality. Special attention will be paid to safety and growth of planted saplings. Works to maintain saplings include irrigation, removal of weed, pruning of plants, etc. These efforts will ensure longevity of plants.

It has also been directed to maintain record of places of plantation, species of planted saplings, rates at which the saplings were purchased from nurseries, expenditure etc. The government has directed all urban bodies to necessarily achieve target of plantation drive during current monsoon. Information about plantation should be sent in prescribed proforma from urban bodies to divisional office every 15 days till August 31.

Under plantation drive, Indore and Bhopal municipal corporations will plant minimum 1.50 lakh saplings each, Ujjain, Jabalpur and Gwalior one lakh saplings each, Singrauli and Chhindwara 50,000 each, Morena, Khandwa and Satna 25,000 each and Ratlam, Dewas, Katni, Burhanpur, Rewa and Sagar 10,000 saplings each. All Nagar Palikas will plant 5000 saplings each Nagar Parishads 2500 each, Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Jabalpur and Gwalior development authorities 50,000 each and Dewas and Ratlam development authorities have been directed to plant minimum 20,000 saplings each.