The state forest department has started working on plans to retransplant trees that fell due to cyclone Amphan at Salt Lake’s Central Park, considered to be the second largest open green space in the city after Maidan and the lungs of Salt Lake.
State forest department minister Rajib Banerjee said that about 250 to 300 trees felled in Central Park.
“We are planning to plant fresh trees and revamp entire Central Park. Out of the felled trees, we are planning to replant around 50 to 100 trees, Banerjee said to TOI on Tuesday.
The minister added that a quick response team is being formed and instructions have been given to restore the condition of parks in several places within the next 10 days.
The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation on their part has kicked off its ‘Rebuilding Bidhannagar’ programme of planting fresh trees and saplings in the township. Bidhannagar deputy mayor Tapas Chatterjee launched the programme by planting a tree in Salt Lake’s AB-AC park under ward 41 on last Sunday. The civic authorities also wants about 1000 uprooted trees to be replanted.
According to civic officials, an estimated 4,500 trees felled in civic body jurisdiction area of Salt Lake and Rajarhat, with about 2,500 to 3000 trees falling alone in Salt Lake and its adjacent localities.
“We are consulting with experts so that trees can be planted scientifically in the township. It has been decided that hence forth, only small trees like hedges will be planted on the boulevards,” Bidhannagar mayor Krishna Chakraborty said.
The state forest department has come up with an ambitious plan to retransplant about 17,000 trees across the four civic body areas of Kolkata, Howrah, Bidhannagar and New Town area, with a large number to be replanted in Salt Lake area.
Source: Times of India
