The Greater Chennai Corporation held a meeting with 200 residents’ welfare associations to kickstart a tree plantation programme.
The civic body has finalised a list of species for arterial roads, waterbodies, interior roads, coastal sandy areas and traffic islands.
The saplings will be procured from three government nurseries, including the State Horticulture Farm in Madhavaram, the Forest Extension office in Medavakkam and the Forest Range Office in Anna Nagar, and private nurseries in Kanathur, Uthandi, Akkarai and Panaiyur along East Coast Road and other areas, such as Dindigul.
The movement will focus on native tree planting on government land and private land in each area.
Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi has ordered all zonal officers and Regional Deputy Commissioners to meet residents’ welfare associations from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. every working day to facilitate tree planting and initiate projects for beautification.
Chennai Corporation will also supply manure from decentralised waste processing centres. The welfare associations will maintain the saplings for two years. The associations that have implemented innovative ideas in tree planting will get awards from Chief Minister M. K. Stalin.
A few residents’ associations which participated in the meeting on Thursday have planned to plant rare mango varieties along canals and waterbodies in their areas. The residents stressed the need for preventing pollution of canals and waterbodies before planting the rare varieties.
The Corporation launched another initiative to vaccinate persons at private hospitals free of cost with funding support from residents. In a tweet, the Corporation said: “CitizensParticipation is core to success of any governmental intervention! Shobhana Hosangady, a resident of Mylapore made a donation towards a vaccination drive for auto drivers, newspaper & vegetable vendors. The drive was organised by #GCC in association with Apollo Hospitals.”
