Coimbatore Corporation, Siruthuli, public sector undertakings and private businesses have joined hands to improve the city’s green cover.
Vacant plots can be turned into green spaces by planting varieties of saplings.
Recently, 5,000 saplings were planted on 11 acres of railways land at Kovundampalayam; efforts are on to plant saplings on over 100 acres (vacant land) at textile mills of National Textile Corporation in the city and about 30 acres of railways land in Ondipudur will also be covered with trees in phases.
Managing Trustee of Siruthuli, Vanitha Mohan, told The Hindu that initially the organisation had proposed planting saplings on the reserved sites in the city. However, there were problems of lack of water and electricity supply at several sites.
With the civic body keen on taking forward the proposal now, efforts have been revived, she says.
Siruthuli provides the saplings free-of-cost. Drip irrigation systems are installed at the sites where the saplings are planted, and these systems are sponsored by the Corporates. Since it is mandatory for companies to spend on Corporate Social Responsibility activities, many firms are coming forward to provide the system.
In the case of reserved sites, it could be five cents or 50 cents, saplings could be planted if water supply and electricity are available.
A. Arulsamy, executive director (south) of NTC, says it has six textile mills in the city and short-term trees will be identified to be planted on the vacant lands in these mills. The details are yet to be finalised.
