Civic body starts drive to plant native trees, increase green cover in Pune
Pune: The civic body has launched a sapling distribution drive as part of its Van Mahotsav initiative which is an attempt to increase city's green cover with native trees.
Citizens and NGOs may purchase native saplings, including neem, jamun, tamarind and banyan, among many others, between June 5 and Aug 14.
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The saplings are already aged from 1 year to 1.5 years and available for Rs5 at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) nursery in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden on JM Road.
Organic fertiliser made by PMC's waste processing unit will also be provided with the aim to make the initiative sustainable from roots up. Citizens are encouraged to collect the saplings, take full responsibility to care for them and plant them in societies, open spaces, institutions and around their homes and vicinity.
The idea is to create a long-term ecological impact.
PMC officials said native trees reduce dust, cool urban temperature, require minimal upkeep and help recharge groundwater. "Ours is not just a tree-planting drive, but an effort to create a greener future. We're prioritising planting native species like neem, jamun, banyan, tamarind and amla, since these are hardy, water-efficient and vital for the city's ecosystem.
They support native birds, bees and soil health, something that exotic ornamental trees don't," said civic horticulture inspector Vilas Dhoble.
"There's growing interest, especially among young citizens who are environmentally conscious and want to be hands-on with climate action. More people are approaching us for saplings and advice on soil care, planting, composting and so on," added Dhoble.
The department plans to distribute 80,000 plants, giving as many as 10 per person.
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The initiative is receiving enthusiastic participation. "We picked up two jamun trees for our housing society. We wanted trees that give back to the environment and last a lifetime," said Rutuja Mane, a resident of Kothrud.
"We picked up neem and jackfruit saplings with our kids. They're excited to water them every day; it's a small but meaningful way to make a difference," said Jyoti Kulkarni, a resident of Aundh.
Recently, PMC planted 100 ayurvedic and fruit-bearing trees in Dahanukar Colony, in collaboration with the Ayurvedic Research Centre. Earlier this month, PMC also conducted a seed-ball throwing activity at Bopdev Ghat, where volunteers scattered native seeds to encourage forest regeneration on barren patches of land.
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