Green step: Hakim inaugurates 'Kalpavriksha'

KOLKATA: Firhad Hakim, chairman of Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), inaugurated tree plantation drive Kalpavriksha 2021 on Friday.

Kalpavriksha, an initiative of Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) Bengal, will help to restore the city's green cover lost due to Cyclones- Yaas and Amphan.

KMC and CREDAI Bengal will work together along with NGOs and agencies to ensure proper plantation and growth of these trees.

"The CREDAI Bengal has always stood with us (KMC). During the initial days of COVID-19, it provided oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders. Every year, during this time CREDAI gives us saplings to improve air quality and overcome the deficit of trees uprooted during devastating cyclones," said Hakim.

About 15,000 trees were uprooted in the devastating cyclone Amphan that hit Bengal in May last year.

Post cyclone Amphan, the Bengal government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the massive sapling plantation drive on World Environment Day last year.

"I am really happy to announce that among all the metro cities Kolkata has ranked 21 in terms of air quality. Mumbai ranks 51. And Delhi ranks 61. But, definitely we have to improve more," said Debashis Kumar, member of Board of Administrators, KMC.