Says AMC which states that the city’s green cover is inadequate; it will conduct its first tree census from Feb 5.
The city, which is rapidly turning into a construction jungle, needs around 24 lakh trees to get 15% green cover, says the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). It may not meet the ideal standards, but will surely provide weather-beaten Amdavadis respite from soaring summer heat. The civic body will start a tree census in the city from February 5, which will be completed within six weeks. The exercise aims at increasing the tree cover in the city.
Earlier, a random tree counting was carried out in 2005, which indicated that Ahmedabad hosts 3.48 lakh trees. Vatva took the lead with 21.7% green cover in the city, while Khadia was at the bottom with 0.13% green cover!
"With the addition of under-developed areas within city limits, we expect the green cover of the city to reach around 7-8% now," said Guruprasad Mohapatra, municipal commissioner
of Ahmedabad.
The AMC will conduct the tree census along with the Forest and Environment Department of the state government, and Gujarat University's Botany Department. It will also cover enumeration of heritage trees as well as rare trees. Deputy municipal commissioner, AMC's Garden department, SK Langa said that the census will help the city in preparing a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP). This will be implemented for increasing number of trees, setting up tree authority, form rules and regulations and more importantly know which species have a better survival rate in the city.
AMC has so far planted nearly 11.50 lakh trees in the last five years and has a survival rate of around 67%, while trees planted in AMC premises have a survival rate of 85% which is quite higher than state average, said Langa. He also said that around 23 wards in the city have green patches. At present the city houses 142 species of trees with neem tree dominating the green foliage.
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