Green cover: KMC plants over 1L saplings since Amphan devastation

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has planted over 1 lakh saplings since the severe cyclonic storm Amphan hit the state in May 2020 and dealt a telling blow to the city’s green cover. Over 15,000 trees were uprooted or damaged due to the effect of Amphan. According to sources in the Parks and Garden department of KMC, at least 1.28 lakh saplings have been planted and a good number of trees that had suffered damages have been transplanted through experts in this field.

“Under the leadership of Mayor Firhad Hakim, we have taken up the challenge of restoration of the green cover in the city to the best possible extent to make up for the loss that we had suffered due to Amphan. Apart from planting and transplantation of trees, we have created green buffer zones in different places in the city. We have fenced a portion of footpath at some major roads in the city and have planted saplings that will grow into small trees,” said a senior official of the Parks and Garden department of KMC.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has set a target of planting another 10,000 saplings by the end of March 2025. “In the green buffer zones created in footpaths in the city, we have planted some 50,000 odd saplings,” added the official. According to a horticulturist of KMC, it will take 5 to 7 years for these saplings to grow. Hence, it will take time to compensate for the loss suffered due to Amphan. According to KMC sources, till 2010 there was around 22 per cent of green cover in the city. In 2013-14, several trees were cut in the EM Bypass area for urbanisation and the greenery was reduced to around 14 per cent. However, since 2015, there has been significant progress towards augmentation of the green cover.