Nagpur: Commencing the plantation of one lakh saplings on part of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) throughout the country from Nagpur, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that, LIT campus in the city would soon be converted into oxygen park. The plantation drive started from Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) LIT Campus on Amravati Road on Sunday.
Gadkari said, instead of cutting trees, emphasis is being placed on transplanting of trees and so far, 12,000 trees have been successfully transplanted on Dwarka Express Highway. A proposal was given to Union Ministry of Forest and Environment to authorise each institution to set up a tree bank through which the complete information of the trees will be maintained. If one tree is to be transplanted, five new trees will have to be planted and if one tree is to be cut, ten trees have to be planted.
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Thursday 26 Sept. 2024
The Minister explained the efforts of plantation taken by the National Highways Ministry and exhorted people to come forward and participate in this national programme, looking at the need of curbing rising pollution. To maintain transparency in plantation, a digital app, ‘Haritpath’ is in place showing the actual photo and location of the plants. So far the NHAI has planted 2.75 crore trees.
In 2021-22, NHAI had planted 72 lakh trees while during this year 75 lakh trees will be planted. “The office of Remote Sensing Application in Nagpur has been instructed to collect the information of trees according to each district, metropolis, village panchayat, municipality,” said Gadkari.
“Henceforth, those District Magistrates, Mayors, Municipal Commissioners, Municipal Council Presidents, Sarpanches who plant more trees in their jurisdiction will be rewarded. This will encourage large scale plantation of trees” Gadkari said. He also suggested that the university should plant a tree from each student.
Ashok Kumar Jain, Advisor, NHAI, said, tree plantation activities are being implemented in 100 places across the country to mark the 75th Independence Day. Vice-Chancellor Dr Subhash Chaudhary said that the varsity has provided space to three agencies for tree plantation. He also said that the doors of the university are open for public works and programs like Gram Chalo Abhiyan, Indian Science Congress will be taken up in the centenary year of Nagpur University.
Dr Sugandha Garve conducted the programme while Borkar proposed vote of thanks. Officials of NHAI, PWD, members of Green Foundation, Alumni Association of LIT took efforts for making the program a grand event.
Later, the Advisor NHAI Jain , Social Forestry officials, NHAI officials, Oriental officials and Members of NGO Nishchay, Kalpvriksha, and school students participated in plantation at Jamtha on NH 44. LIT Alumni Association (LITA) Chyawati and Green Foundation Nagpur in collaboration with Department of Public Works (National Highways Department), T&T Infra-Ltd and Bharat Vikas Parishad (Smart City Department, Nagpur) organised the ‘Green Environment Movement (GEM)’ tree plantation initiative.
Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B; Director of Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT ) Dr Raju Mankar; Chairman of LITA, Madhav Labhe; Project Head, Shrikant Gudadhe; Secretary, Utkarsh Khopkar; Dilip Chinchamalatpure of Green Foundation; Former Director of NEERI Dr Satish Wate were also present.
