Indore (Madhya Pradesh): After setting a world record of planting 11 lakh saplings in a single day and a total of 51 lakh saplings in the last monsoon season, the district has set the target of planting 20 lakh saplings in the district during the coming monsoon.

To rope in people with the ‘Green Indore’ drive, information about the potential land available for sapling plantation will be made available on the 311 App of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC).

More importantly, the permission of colony development will be given with the condition to put 10% land under green cover.

Collector Asheesh Singh gave this information in a meeting held here on Thursday. IDA CEO RP Ahirwar, district forest officer Pradeep Mishra and officials of other related departments were present in the meeting. Collector Singh directed all officers to complete all preparations for tree plantation before the monsoon.

He said that all departments should start selecting the place for tree plantation from now and arrangements should be made to acquire plants. The work of digging pits should be started from now onwards and special attention should be paid to the protection of the saplings planted the previous year.

In the meeting, Singh allotted targets to the departments for tree plantation. It was informed that initially a target was set to plant 20 lakh saplings in the district, out of which 10 lakh would be planted by the forest department.

Plant sale centre started in Navratan Bagh

A plant sale centre has been started in the forest department office in Navratan Bagh. Plants of various species will be available here, which include decorative, fruit-bearing, shady and medicinal species.

Tall ornamental plants are also available, which enhance the beauty of houses, institutions and gardens. Online payment facility is also available here.

Green area on 10% land a must in new colonies

Collector Singh gave instructions to strictly follow the condition of developing 10% area as green in the development permission issued for colony development under the ‘Green Indore’ drive. He directed the colony cell in-charge to issue orders in this regard.

He said now with the permission of new colony development, it would be mandatory to develop 10% of the area as green. Out of this, dense tree plantation on 2.5% area would be necessary. Without completing this work, the completion certificate would not be issued to the colony.

This decision is a big step towards making Indore green and environmentally-friendly in the long run.