Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation ( NMC ) has decided to commence mass tree plantation drive from July 1 instead of August 1. Target is to plant around 40,000 saplings and 2-3 years old plants.
Meanwhile, the cleaning drive of Nag, Pili and Pora rivers is continuing and will conclude on June 5, World Environment Day.
Listing off the events the NMC will organize to mark World Environment Day, ruling party leader Dayashankar Tiwari said the mass plantation drive schedule has been advanced as per chief minister DevendraFadnavis's directives. "NMC used to begin the drive from August 1 every year. But the CM announced to celebrate July 1 as plantation day. Therefore, we will also start planting saplings and plants from July 1," he said.
The NMC's plantation survival rate was also low due to delay in planting the saplings and plants. The change in schedule may increase the survival rate.
An NMC official told TOI that 2,900 plants that are 2-3 years old will be planted on July 1. "We have given permission to Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Limited (NMRCL) to cut down some more trees. We asked NMRCL to plant 2,000 compensatory plants at the forest land at Ambazari on July 1. NMRCL is planning to plant around 4,000 plants. The remaining plants will be planted by the NMC," he said.
Chairman of bio-diversity consultative committee DivyaDhurde said the river cleaning drive that started on May 9 will also conclude on June 5. "NMC started to clean all three rivers and deepened their riverbed by 1-1.5 metres. We also widened the breadth of the rivers. Work on 29.75km out of the total target of 42km has been completed as on date. Some 3,379 tonne silt and waste has been removed and dumped in low lying areas. Awareness activities will be organized in association with NGOs in four locations on June 5 to mark conclusion of the drive," she said.
Tiwari added that NMC was confident to complete works in remaining stretch of 42km in three rivers before June 5. "Apart from two of NMC's excavator machines, we also pressed in a lot of machinery belonging to NGOs and corporates as we took up the work on all three rivers simultaneously. Around 80% works have been completed and the remaining will be completed in the next two days. We plan to continue the drive throughout the year roping in NMC and NIT's machines," he said.
Tiwari also said NMC executed and planned a series of programmes to also reduce water and air pollution. "NMC is the first civic body in the nation to construct sewage treatment plant and supply treated sewage for power generation. Small STPs are also planned and are under construction on Nag and Pili rivers. Nag River Pollution Abatement Project has been submitted with the central government," he said.
