The Green Srinagar Initiative under Smart City mission under which purposeful plantation is undertaken annually in Srinagar district was launched Monday.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan launchedthe drive by planting saplings in the peripheries of Tulip garden atCheshmashahi. He along with Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid IqbalChoudhary later flagged off fleet dedicated vehicles as part of the launch fromDC Office Srinagar here.
Under the greening initiative which was first launched lastyear the district administration in association with the Srinagar Smart CityLimited or SSCL undertakes to planting some 2 lakh saplings across the districtduring the two week-long drive which will continue up to March 31. The aim isto reduce carbon-footprint and reverse ill-effects of climate change.
The launch follows month-long registration for availing ofsaplings during which requests from institutions and households from across thedistrict were made for over 50 thousand saplings of different varieties ofplants.
The fleet of vehicles flagged off on the occasion willundertake distribution of saplings among identified locations to be developedas green spaces and those institutions and individuals households which haveraised requests for them.
This year’s drive will also include plantation in schoolsidentified from across the district. Green Clubs of students created last yearin each of these schools will again volunteer in plantation exercise in theirschools and catchment areas. Their involvement is aimed at eliciting greatercommunity participation in the greening initiative.
The drive will also include plantation in institutions andon roads among other public spaces. Like last year several banks andinstitutions have associated their organisations with the initiative.
To ensure achievement of desired results the concernedTehsildars will monitor plantation and post-plantation maintenance in theirareas of jurisdictions.
The DC while speaking on the occasion said the fleet ofdedicated vehicles flagged off will reach out to all households andinstitutions having registered for plantation this year. He said a number ofroads have also been finalised for strip plantation under the drive.
Dr Shahid said that some 2 lakh saplings have been madeavailable by the Forest department for plantation across the district as partof the greening initiative. He said various NGOs and environmentalorganisations have been roped in to ensure success execution of the initiative.
ADC Srinagar M Haneef Balkhi, JD Planning M Yaseen Lone,officers from Urban and Social Forestries, Floriculture, Horticulture, Roads& Buildings, Education Department, ICDS, and officials of Srinagar SmartCity Limited were also present on the occasion.