For a more integrated approach towards turning Kolkata into a clean and green city and at the same time, to reduce the level of air pollution, the three Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) departments of Urban Forestry, Project Management Unit (PMU) and Parks & Gardens have been brought under a single umbrella.
While announcing this decision, the mayor of KMC reasoned that since the PMU’s work is mostly related to waterbodies, which in turn is linked to green issues, it makes perfect sense to link it with the other two. The civic body is taking a slew of measures for a clean and green Kolkata, and the merger of the three sections will speed up work in this regard.
In a related development, the mayor has held meetings with the Railways and the Kolkata Port Trust, which are custodians of substantial amounts of land in the city, to allow the KMC to take up plantations in vacant plots (which they would not put to use for any commercial purpose) under their ownership.
There is vacant land in areas like Majerhat that is owned by the Railways, and in Kidderpore and the Nimtala riverside area in north Kolkata, under the KoPT.
The KMC will take the opinions of experts to ensure planned and scientific plantation.
Source: Millennium Post