Kolkata: Mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Firhad Hakim has instructed officials to compile a report on the total number of saplings bought and planted by the civic body as part of its urban forestry drive in the city.
The development comes in the wake of queries surrounding an alleged lack of transparency in revealing the number of plantations carried out by the KMC and the number of saplings it has bought for its urban forestry drive. It is learnt that as per a National Green Tribunal order a monthly report needs to be compiled containing the data of plantation carried out.
Presently, a section of environmentalists have complained that it is impossible to know as to how much plantation has already been carried out by the civic body. They questioned that even if such a report has been compiled, it has not come in the public domain and neither could the civic body shed any light on the matter.
Sources in the civic body have admitted that a process was initiated earlier concerning counting of trees but it could not be completed. Such a process was taken up at Boroughs VI and VIII.
Addressing the media on Friday, the Mayor said that he has instructed department officials to compile a report within one week so it can be released on next Friday (August 18).
He explained that the work of buying saplings and its subsequent plantation is carried out by the parks and Squares department and at the Borough level. He assured that data will be collected from the department and from boroughs and soon the people will be able to know the details.
The Mayor had recently held meetings with officials where it was decided that the civic body will carry out plantation of one crore saplings as part of its urban forestry programme.