The Greater Chennai Corporation will develop Miyawaki urban forests at 1,000 locations across the city, said Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash.
Speaking to media persons at the inauguration of a Miyawaki forest at the Omandurar Government Estate, he said the civic body aims at increasing forest cover from 17% to 25% in the city. “Planting of 1,000 Miyawaki forests is our grand aim. We have completed 15 so far,” he said.
Miyawaki forests have been developed at areas such as Sholinganallur and Mugalivakkam in the city. On Saturday, 2,000 trees belonging to 25 species were planted on 10,000 sq.ft of land on the premises of the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital (TNGMSSH), Omandurar Government Estate.
Greening the city
“The Chennai Corporation will increase the number of parks from 675 to 1,000. Over 120 piers in bridges across the city will get vertical gardens before Pongal. Thousands of trees will be planted along the Cooum River from the Napier bridge to Paruthipattu by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust at a cost of ₹36 crore as part of riverine plantation,” said Mr.Prakash. Residents in each neighbourhood will get spaces for walking near the miyawaki forests, he added.
Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said the volunteers have planted four layers of greenery including a canopy layer, tree layer, sub-tree layer and shrub layer. This initiative will lead to reduction in the temperature in cities, he said.
Actor Vivekh, who participated, said the Corporation has been motivating NGOs in increasing the city’s tree cover.
Volunteers dug and planted
TNGMSSH nodal officer Ananda Kumar said about 70 volunteers, who are students, IT employees and civil services aspirants, took up the job of digging and planting 2,000 saplings in the Miyawaki forest.
“The Department of Health is not only about vaccination, taking medicines, doing surgeries and complex procedures. Today most of the diseases are caused because of a lack of awareness about keeping our surroundings clean, particularly in densely-populated city areas, where the air, water and soil remain polluted. In order to popularise a cleanliness message and green concept among residents, Omandurar Multi Super Specialty Hospital took up the initiative with Chennai Corporation and NGO Thuvakkam volunteers,” he said.
The volunteers will maintain the trees for two years.
