Plantation for urban forests in city to begin from July 15

Mumbai: The city is set to have five urban forests where trees will be planted under the state government’s mega tree plantation drive. The plantation for the urban forests will begin July 15 and indigenous trees like taman, bahava, karanj, neem and bakul with a height of 6 feet and above will be planted. There is already a stock of these trees in all 24 civic wards’ nurseries, said   additional municipal commissioner, Vijay Singhal.

The government last week launched the drive under which 33 crore trees will be planted statewide.

Mumbai will have tidy dense forests developed in the next two years by the civic body in collaboration with the social forestry department.

“We will be doing MIYAWAKI technology and local species of trees will be planted like banyan, peepul, jamun and semal with irrigation and compost from organic waste recycling,” municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said.

The urban forests will not only increase the city’s green cover but also give citizens an opportunity to experience the forests.

“Amidst the rising infrastructure and due to various problems, the trees do not survive on the roadside. The basic purpose is to increase the green cover in the city. Moreover, there will be water conservation as these will not be concretised plots. The rainwater will percolate into the earth,” said Mr Singhal.

“We can forgo the tendering procedure as we will get the trees from the social forestry and other state government departments. We have sufficient stock of trees to be planted and they are stocked in all 24 civic wards’ nursery,” he said.

 A total five locations have been finalised where recreational grounds/garden/parks will be turned into urban forests.