The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Enhancing the city’s green cover

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Thursday, Jul 17, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Enhancing the city’s green cover

Special Correspondent

1,000 saplings to be planted in a single day
Ten saplings in place of every tree cut down

Thiruvananthapuram: The government has decided to take up an intensive tree planting drive under plans to enhance the city’s green cover.

A meeting convened by the Ministers of Forest and Public Works here on Wednesday decided to plant 1,000 saplings in various parts of the city on a single day. The meeting resolved to plant 10 saplings for every tree that would have to be axed for road development works.

Minister for Public Works Mons Joseph said every effort would be made to conserve trees while implementing the City Roads Improvement Programme. Forest Minister Benoy Viswom warned that the failure to conserve trees would lead to irreversible environmental consequences. He called for enforcement of the guidelines issued by the National Highway Authority of India on replacing trees cut down for road development.

Officials informed the meeting that 1,556 saplings had been planted in place of the 130 trees that had to be cut for road widening.

The meeting decided to seek public participation in an intensive afforestation drive. A second meeting would be convened within two weeks to finalise the programme.

Chief Secretary P.J. Thomas, Revenue Principal Secretary Nivedita P. Haran, Public Works secretary Tom Jose and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests T. Manoharan were among those who attended Wednesday’s meeting.

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