MCG increases its target of planting saplings by three times

Following an overwhelming response from the residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) of the city, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has now increased its

Following an overwhelming response from the residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) of the city, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has now increased its target for planting saplings this monsoon season by almost three times.

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Prior to the start of its plantation drive on June 27, the MCG had initially set a target of planting 40,000 saplings by the end of the monsoon season. However, officials said, so far, 275 RWAs have registered for the drive, thereby raising the total demand of saplings to 1.2 lakh or almost three times the original target.

As a part of the drive, which is being carried out every weekend until the city stops receiving rain, the MCG is providing saplings to the RWAs free of cost. Members of the RWA and officials of the MCG then plant sapling together at a designated point either within the residential area or at vacant land outside the premises.

This is the first time that the MCG has initiated a plantation drive on such a large scale. As per MCG officials, the rationale behind this drive is to increase the diminishing green cover of the city.

According to a 2019 Forest Survey of India (FSI) report, only 9.2% of Gurugram’s total geographical area is under forest cover In 2017, the same was 9.3%.

“We did not expect such a big turnout from the RWAs in the city. As such, initially, we only kept a target of planting 40,000 saplings These saplings have been developed in our own nurseries and are being distributed among the RWAs. We have arranged for more saplings from the forest department and will try our best to distribute as many saplings as possible before the monsoon season ends. Our objective this year is not only to increase the city’s green cover but to also to ensure that the saplings survive,” said Devendra Bhadana, executive engineer, MCG, horticulture wing.

Bhadana said that the MCG will also be keeping a record of all the saplings that were planted this monsoon to ensure that they are properly monitored and have a high survival rate.

“One of the problems we faced in the past was that after saplings were planted, no proper follow-up was carried out. As a result, a majority of the saplings perished. We now want to ensure our efforts don’t go to waste. By assigning the responsibility of maintaining the saplings to the local RWAs, and by keeping a log of the total number of saplings planted, the type of sapling planted, and the area where it was done, we can keep a constant check on its condition,” said Bhadana.

As per MCG officials, with the help of 120 RWAs out of those who have registered, the civic body has so far planted more than 20,000 saplings across the city so far.

Some of the sapling planted by the MCG include gulmohar (royal poinciana), simal (bombax ceiba), kachnar, babool (gum arabic tree), and peepal (sacred fig). The MCG is also asking RWAs to donate old, broken or discarded tiles, bottles, crockery, CDs, jute materials, old clothes, metal objects, tyres, glass, plastic and wooden crates so that they can recycle them and make objects, such as face masks, tyres, wooden pots, decorated bottles and tile pieces.

Dhruv Bansal, spokesperson Qutub Enclave RWA, said,“Last week we planted 10,000 saplings in our private colony. Since then, more residents have come forward demanding saplings. We will be asking MCG for another round of plant saplings in two weeks.”