Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The cleanest city of the country is now aiming big to be in the list of greenest cities of the nation as well. Floating high on the claim of increasing the green cover by two per cent in three years, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has set a target of making it more than double of what they have achieved in the next three years. Moreover, Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav too stepped into a ‘realistic’ claim of elevating the green cover to 14 per cent by 2027 correcting his own call of making it 18 per cent.
Moving in the lines, the IMC has successfully identified 90 Ahilya Van out of the targeted ‘104 Ahilya Van project’. Garden department superintendent, Chetan Patil informed Free Press about the target of creating 90 vans (forests) into small patches making it work as ‘City Lungs’. He said, ‘We are continuously planting trees and taking necessary measures to promote afforestation.
The department is focused to exhibit the idea of city forest and projects such as one ward one garden promptly add up to the initiatives.’ ‘City lungs’ are planned to beautify the city entrances to which the civic body has planted 30k trees at Bijasan area. ‘Out of the 30k planted trees almost 18k of them survived and will soon be developed as a patch of lush green ‘lung’ for Indore,’ Patil said.
The garden department official elaborated, ‘Total geographical area of Indore is near about 250 square km and only the prominent entities like MPRDC, IDA, and MP Metro Rail Corporation get permission to cut trees for development projects. In the last three years, we have sanctioned cutting of 5,170 trees for the same.’
60% of the 5K trees survived
As per claims of the municipal corporation official, about 60 per cent of the total relocated trees survived. ‘It is the responsibility of the institutions to relocate equal number of trees cut by them. Out of 5,170 trees cut in the last three years, 60 per cent of relocated trees adapted and survived. The survival rate depends on the area, conditions and adaptability,’ Patil said. He emphasised on identifying and developing 85 green patches resulting in increasing the green cover.
We are working on many initiatives to increase the green cover of the city and working on developing 101 gardens across the city. We will ensure one garden in each ward with an approach to maintain city’s greenery and beautify. The garden department is walking on the front foot to make Indore cleaner and greener.
- Rajendra Rathore, MiC member, IMC
Out of the 104 Ahilya Van, we have already identified 90 and have initiated plantation. These areas would work as small patches and contribute greatly to the concept of city lungs. Escalating the green cover percentage in the city to 9.3 per cent has brought down city temperature as well. Contemplating to move ahead with several projects including Vikas Van, the garden department is rolling towards development of city gardens.
- Jitendra Jamindar, in-charge, Garden DepartmentIndore Municipal
Corporation has inhibited the practice of afforestation at its best where we have already achieved 9.3 percent of green cover. We further aim to escalate the figure to 14 per cent in the next three years. Committing our efforts to environment conservation, IMC is already paving its way to make Indore city cleaner and greener.
- Pushyamitra Bhargav, Mayor, Indore
