World Environment Day: PMC to distribute native saplings at ₹5

The distribution of saplings will start on June 5 and will go on till August 15 at Sambhaji garden on Jungli Maharaj road, as part of the festival, officials said

The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) tree authority and garden department has organised a ‘Van Mahotsav’ at Sambhaji Raje Udhyan on World Environment Day, which is observed on June 5. The civic body will distribute saplings of native species in order to increase city’s green cover.

Assistant superintendent of the garden department, Guruswami Tummale said, “The Van Festival is meant to encourage citizens to plant trees.” (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The distribution of saplings will start on June 5 and will go on till August 15 at Sambhaji garden on Jungli Maharaj road, as part of the festival, officials said. The department will distribute the plants at a low cost.

Assistant superintendent of the garden department, Guruswami Tummale said, “The Van Festival is meant to encourage citizens to plant trees.”

The festival was inaugurated by Vilas Kanade, the additional municipal commissioner on June 3.

Plants like Jamun, Ashoka, Neem, Palash, Tamhan, Putravanti, Nevar, Arjun, Karanj, Bakul, Buch, Muchkinda. and many more will be sold at a minimal cost of ₹5.

The department plans to distribute 80,000 plants. Any person can get as many as 10 plants.

Ashok Ghorpade, the chief garden superintendent and member secretary of the tree authority department said, “The festival is organised to increase the green cover in the city. So, I encourage people to participate in this initiative in large numbers.”