GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has set a target to plant 2.6 lakh saplings this year in its attempt to increase the green cover of the city and curb air pollution. The drive will kick off on August 2, wherein 31,000 saplings will be planted across parks, green belts, along important stretches of roads, and other parts of the city.
"At a time when air pollution has emerged as the biggest threat to health, it is only through extending the green cover in the city that the threat can be effectively dealt with, and such a massive plantation drive is a significant step in this direction," GDA vice-chairman Vijay Yadav said on Tuesday.
"Last year, the state government had set a target of planting 1,62,500 saplings in the city but we managed to plant 125 saplings more than that. This year (March 2015-February 2016), we have been given a target of 2.6 lakh saplings and we are confident we will achieve it," he said.
Besides 1,400 parks, the locations chosen for the plantation drive include the city forest, stretches of road from UP Gate to Mohan Nagar, Hindon Air Force Station to UP border and the road leading to Raj Nagar Extension.
"We have exhorted RWAs, chief wardens of civil and defence, builders and NGOs to be a part of this massive plantation drive. We have also opened helpline numbers for citizens to give us suggestions so that we can make this drive a grand success," Yadav said.
To encourage residents of Ghaziabad to participate in the drive, the GDA has also decided to make a patch of land available in the city forest, where residents could plant trees in the memory of their loved ones. "We have placed a request with the Ghaziabad municipal corporation for 150 acres of land near the forest area for this purpose," Yadav added.
