BMC's green boost: Rs 2.5 cr prize for planting saplings

The municipal corporation has announced a prize money of Rs 2.5 crore for encouraging plantation of saplings in the city and suburbs.

The municipal corporation has announced a prize money of Rs 2.5 crore for encouraging plantation of saplings in the city and suburbs.

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The BMC has decided to plant saplings in its share of the mill land in the city.

"The BMC will give Rs 10 lakh to each ward, who in turn will give it away as a prize for those NGOs and cooperative societies that encourage tree plantation. The collective prize in all wards goes to around Rs 2.5 crore. This is to encourage tree plantations and increase the green cover in the city," BMC commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya said.

Kshatriya was speaking after planting trees at Nagar Chowk in south Mumbai. He said the administration had made available one lakh saplings in different wards and they would be distributed to willing parties at a nominal cost of Re 1.

The tree authority gives permission to hack trees for various developmental works after scrutinising the plans and such plantation drives are meant to fill up that gap, he added.