Surat: Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started an SMS-based tree plantation scheme on World Environment Day on Sunday with a view to increase the green cover in the city. Citizens will be able to get tree saplings planted for free on their land under this scheme until September 15, all that they have to do is send an SMS to the mobile number of the civic body's garden department. SMC expects to plant at least 20,000 tree saplings under this scheme.

Once an individual sends the SMS, the staff from the garden department would go to the place for assessment and planting the tree sapling on the former's land. It will be the responsibility of the person concerned to nurture the plant. "The person sending the SMS to us would have to give an undertaking that he would nurture the sapling. This is a unique way to increase the green cover in our city. We hope people in large numbers will take advantage of the scheme," SMC garden superintendent SJ Gautam said.

Meanwhile, SMC distributed Gulmohar, Bignonia, Borsalli and Neem saplings to people on Sunday. The staff of SMC's garden department planted 1,735 saplings in open plots and roadside dividers. They also distributed 11,575 saplings free to a number of individuals, mandals and societies.

Surat has lowest green belt area of 3.1 per cent in the state, sources said, but SMC disagrees and says it is 7.19 per cent. Surat, a city with a population of 50 lakh, just has around three lakh trees. Ideally, there must be a tree for every three persons, the sources added.