The Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) has commenced the process of planning and designing for the development of 'Ecological Green and Dense Environmental Corridor' in the new capital region.
It may be recalled that the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change (Independent Charge) Prakash Javadekar and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh in the month of August last year had launched 'Hariyar Chhattisgarh Afforestation Campaign' by planting saplings at the Botanical Gardens in Naya Raipur.
The Chhattisgarh Government last year had embarked upon an ambitious plan to spread green forest cover by planting as many as 10 crore saplings.
The 'Afforestation' Programme was carried out on a massive scale in the entire State.
Earlier, in the inaugural programme of 'Hariyar Chhattisgarh MegaPlantation Drive 2015' organized at Naya Raipur based Botanical Garden, the Union Minister had also released 'Forest Atlas' published by State Government's Forest Department.
This geo-referenced forest atlas covers the natural forest resources of Chhattisgarh along with the depiction of river-valley areas, forest division-wise classification of soil, geographical condition and depth of water-bodies, non-wooden forest produce, bamboo producing area, and rich biodiversity of the State.
This atlas is proving to be beneficial in designing action plan for development and management of forests. Wildlife conservation area and proposed elephant corridor has also been shown in the atlas. The information related to State's forest cover has been collected from Forest Survey of India Institute's digital data of 50,000 scale, and database available in Chhattisgarh.
The entire atlas is based on the formal and verified records and documents.
More than 5,000 students of various government and private schools of Raipur city had enthusiastically participated in theplantation programme. Besides, students from Hidayatulla National law University, National Institute of Technology, Pt Ravishankar Shukla University and other educational institutes also took part in the mega-drive.
Moreover, Chief Minister Raman Singh had accorded in-principle approval for formation of a separate 'Tree Plantation Forest Circle' under Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) last year for ensuring organized plantation work in the new capital.
Singh had stated in a meeting that Naya Raipur is being developed in an area of 237 square kilometres and it is necessary that the people living in the new capital would need a green environment.
It is our priority to develop Naya Raipur as a 'Green City', he had stated.
During the meeting, the scientists from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru made a presentation to suggest ways of greening Naya Raipur.
The Chief Minister also had held discussions with the scientists and the NRDA officials on preparing an action plan for the greening project for the new administrative capital.
The scientists making the presentation in the meeting said thatNaya Raipur which is being developed as the city of the 21stcentury would be unique in the sense that the green belt, botanical garden and the Eco park would be under a single umbrella.
They had also suggested to develop green patches in the residential zones.
Singh had also directed the Forest Department officials to come out with an elaborate Action Plan for an intensive plantation drive to be taken up in the entire State under Hariyar Chhattisgarh ( Green Chhattisgarh) drive before arrival of monsoons.