Chandigarh greenest city of India: Report

Chandigarh, Sep 16 (UNI) The Union Territory of Chandigarh, a joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, has beeen identified as the country's greenest city with 35.5 per cent of its total geographical area under forest and tree cover.

As many as 22.22 lakh saplings have been planted in the last 15 years by different departments of the Chandigarh administration.

The massive afforestation activities undertaken by the administration and other organisations have resulted in a sharp increase in the green cover of Chandigarh and it has become a national leader, an official report here said.

A UT Administration's Environment and Forests department has been creating awareness among the masses, particularly students, to plant more and more saplings and to popularise eco-friendly activities on a sustained basis.

He said various NGOs, educational institutions, Resident Welfare Associations, farmers and people of Chandigarh have taken keen interest in aforestation activities and planted saplings in the land under their possession.

The general public has been assisted by the Forest Department and Horticulture Wings of Municipal Corporation and Engineering Department of Chandigarh Administration in the form of distribution of saplings free of cost and also selling them at the subsidised rates, a UT Administration spokesman here said.

The total number of 7,50,000 saplings have been distributed and sold by all agencies and Forest Department in the last 15 years.

Forest Department alone has distributed 3,70,000 saplings free of cost to the people of Chandigarh.

The Chandigarh Administration permits felling of trees, which are dead, wind fallen, diseased and which are threatening life and property and obstructing traffic. Permission for removal of trees is also accorded to execute development works.

While issuing permission for felling of trees for such projects, it is ensured that at least double the number of trees fell are planted to compensate the loss of forest and environment, the spokesman added.

In the 15 years from 1991-92 to 2005-2006, 13,843 number of trees have been cut down by different departments and more than 50,000 trees planted.

UNI PS AKJ MIR RAI0915