SMC has launched a project where city residents would have to drop message on a dedicated number for sapling planting in the house. The staff from the garden department will reach the houses to plant sapling. The drive will be conducted between June 5 and June 16.
Surat with population of over 50 lakh, which is spread over 326 sq km area, the requirement of trees is at least 18 lakh, against which the city has only 6 lakh full-grown trees along with 4 lakh plants. If the survival rate works up to 65% for plants in the next two years, around 3 lakh more trees would be added to the total number.
As per the report ‘Status of Green Cover in Urban Areas of Gujarat’ published by the state forest department in 2011, the tree cover in the city was estimated in 1,184 hectare of area, which is just 3% of the geographical area—lowest compared to other cities in Gujarat.
Heavy deforestation due to rapid urbanization has led to the situation where heat index is rising every year and mercury is seen crossing 41 degrees Celsius on regular basis during summer . The rainfall pattern, too, has changed from an average of 60 inches or 1,500 to 1,800 mm to about 35-40 inches and have not crossed 1,200 mm mark in the last three years.
In the past, too, Surat has conducted such massive plantation drives, but in the absence of proper care and lack of monitoring, these drives were rendered unsuccessful.
“We are going to implement a robust monitoring system along with plantation drive and we will see to it that whatever is planted survives in the coming two years. We will also help individuals to protect the plants. This will help us growing the tree cover by couple of percent by 2018 end,” municipal commissioner M Thennarasan said.
As per the plantation plan, the civic body would plant nearly 10,000 trees and saplings in the open plots of residential premises in the city.
“Our people would visit home to home with jingles like plant tree, save environment. We will disseminate the tips and aid people in planting and taking care of the sapling,” garden superintendent, SMC, S J Gautam said.
At present, the city’s green cover consist of around 30 different species of trees and shurbs. In this year’s drive, around 15 types of shrubs and trees would be distributed and those taking the saplings will be made to take an oath to take care of the trees.
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India
0 comments:
Post a Comment