Green cover: KMC plants over 10K saplings

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has already planted over 10,000 saplings in the city in a little over two months since it kicked off its massive plantation drive to restore and augment the green cover that suffered massive damage due to the severe cyclonic storm Amphan that hit the state on May 20.

The civic body has also transplanted around 150 trees.

The transplantation and plantation process in the city officially kicked off from June 5 on the occasion of World Environment Day when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee planted three trees- a neem, a bakul and a jarul at Harish Park in Bhowanipore.

"We have set a target of planting 6000 saplings in each of the 16 boroughs. The process of plantation has been satisfactory in Borough I, II, VI, VIII , XII, XIV and XVI. The availability of workforce has been a challenge amidst the COVID pandemic situation, but the progress has been reasonably good, " said a senior official of Parks & Square department.

The official said that the target is to plant 40,000 saplings before the end of the this monsoon season. More than 15000 trees were uprooted in the city itself due to Amphan.

The state government in consultation with experts have decided to adopt a scientific approach in tree plantation. Neem, Bakul, Jarul, Karamcha, Mahogany, Acacia, Mango, Akashmoni, Subabul are some of the trees that will be planted as these species are less prone to damage in storms

Apart from KMC, an NGO Nature Mates – Nature Club and Rebuilt Bengal- a consortium of NGOs formed post Amphan have taken up the task of restoration of the trees that have been damaged. They have sucessfully restored 111 trees in Rabindra Sarobar, more than 30 trees at Maidan, over 20 trees at Hyland Park near Mukundapur in EM Bypass , a big tree near Maniktala ESI Hospital and some trees at Subhas Sarovar too.