KMC urban forestry wing plans large-scale plantation in city

Kolkata: Working towards its objective of making Kolkata a greener city, the new urban forestry wing of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will take up large scale forestry within the city wherever vacant lands are available.

The urban forestry wing, under the Parks and Squares department of the KMC, has been given charge of executing large-scale forestry in Kolkata as a countermeasure to rising pollution levels.

As per an official, the new wing is exploring possibilities of large-scale plantation wherever vacant lands are available.

“With the city growing in leaps and bounds, there is a scarcity of vacant lands. However, we have appealed to citizens to help the civic body in case they have vacant spaces to share. Councillors too have been asked to identify vacant lands where large-scale plantations can be carried out. Also, we have approached central government agencies such as the Kolkata Port, Railways etc. for vacant lands” said the official.

According to information shared by KMC, the civic body has successfully created two Miyawaki Forests, one each in Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar where about 11000 fruit bearing plants were planted. Further, it has planned to plant about 70618 roadside plants on footpaths and open spaces in the city.

Additionally, about 158980 shrubs and small plants have been planted for the creation of green buffers on footpaths at several thoroughfares of the city. Some of these are: Garden Reach Road, Clyde Row, Northern Avenue, Raja Manindra Road, Raja Dinendra Street etc.

Extensive plantation has also been carried along EM Bypass between Science City crossing to Dhalai Bridge along the P C Connector where about 35000 Debdaru and other saplings were planted. Additionally, ten parks, including green boulevards, were developed at ten locations in the city.