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Set for green and sheen

— Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

Greening drive: More trees will soon adorn streets in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: As part of its greenery efforts, the Forest Department will plant more saplings in various parts of Puducherry. Apart from urban areas, a number of tank bunds and river banks are all set to receive more green cover this year.

Already, several parts of the coastal town have a significant number of trees. While expanding the existing foliage, the department would take stringent measures to check illegal tree felling for construction activities.

Last year, the department planted 18,000 saplings across Puducherry including tank bunds and river banks. The town area alone had 8,000 saplings and around 2,500 bamboos were planted at the Sankarabarani river bank, Agriculture Officer of the department Siva Shanmugam said.

“We plant saplings on a regular basis. On an average, we plant at least 10 saplings a day depending on the type of road. Digging is easy on an old road and we can plant 25 saplings there,” he said.

After a short gap in the summer season, the Department has started to plant saplings in the town. Once the monsoon starts, planting of saplings would begin at tank bunds and river banks.

“From April this year, we have planted 4,000 saplings. We have chosen tank bunds at Nettapakkam eri, Kariamanickam eri, Molapakkam eri and Madugarai eri for planting saplings this monsoon,” Mr. Shanmugam said.

Areas in Karaikal had received 5,000 saplings last year. “We have planted several trees in town areas and at Periyar Nagar, a number of pockets in Mudaliarpet, Kumaran Nagar and Lawspet,” he said.

To prevent illegal tree felling for construction activities, the Department has started to slap a fine of Rs. 500 to Rs. 5,000 depending on the type of tree.

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