Take sapling, get birth and marriage certificates

Residents of Alappuzha municipality be ready to collect a sapling along with birth and marriage certificates issued from the civic body.

In a bid to increase green cover and to inculcate a sense of environmental awareness among its people, the Alappuzha municipality has launched ‘Tharu, Oru Thanal’.

As part of it, the municipality will gift saplings free of cost while issuing the certificates. Further, a sapling each will be given to those who apply for building occupancy number.

The revenue inspector will issue the building number only after ensuring that the sapling was planted.

The project was launched by District Collector S. Suhas on Monday.

S. Jahangir, Alappuzha municipal secretary, said it was the first-of-its-kind initiative in the State.

“Our municipality is the first government body in the State to present citizens with tree saplings in addition to certificates. A lot of voluntary organisations have come forward to donate saplings,” Mr. Jahangir said.

Earlier, a special meeting of the municipal council approved the project.

Mandatory

The meeting also decided to make it mandatory for all new buildings to leave a small space in its courtyard to allow rainwater to seep through the soil. No concreting or laying of interlocking tiles will be allowed in the particular space.

In connection with World Environment Day on June 5, the municipality will plant 10,000 saplings in 52 wards of the urban body in a week.

Municipal chairman Thomas Joseph presided.