Majhi Vasundhara-6: Nagpur must ‘study’ hard to get good marks!

 

 

Degradation city’s green cover and administration’s apathy towards conserving the existing environment, the ‘Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan 2025-26’ will be a tough contest for Nagpur city this year. On the occasion of ‘World Environment Day’, the Government of Maharashtra recently launched the tool kit of ‘Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan 2025-26’ competition to encourage green cover and environment friendly initiatives in the State. However, the efforts of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to improve the green cover of the city are not up to the mark to score good marks or to be placed on the top three ranks under the 10 lakh and above category. This year, the total marks of the competition is 2,675 which will be divided in eight different categories.

 

As per National Tree Plan, every State or city must have at least 33% of tree cover and in this state-level competition also, having 200 marks for maintaining 33% green cover is must. Similarly, the State Government mentioned the highest 1,500 marks for tree plantation and its conservation in this competition. For new green cover development (300 marks); Implementation of Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees. Act, 1975 (150 marks); Geo-Tagging and tree census (125 marks), Plant nursery development (100 marks), Maintaining People’s Biodiversity Register (150 marks); and Seed Collection Centre (150 marks) is the breakdown of marks. As per the marks distribution in the competition, on many fields Nagpur city may loose marks this year.

 

Maintaining 33% green cover (200 marks): Exploitation of green cover in Nagpur city in form of rampant tree-felling in every corner of the city is a major issue and such activities are going to be a big challenge for the local body to gain marks in 33% and above green cover category. Tree plantation drive and its conservation (1,500 marks): In recent time, tree plantation drives took place in city in large numbers, but the conservation of those plants was ignored by every department of the civic administration. When asked about the survival rate of tree plantation that took place last year in city to a senior officer of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), he was unaware about the number.

 

Everyone planted saplings as per the instructions of the Government but no one took care of those plants. In this category, Nagpur city may face a big setback as it has the highest number of marks this year. Development of new green covers (300 marks): The civic body is busy in giving permissions for tree felling in city for various infrastructure projects. Recently, NMC asked for objection from citizens against three different proposals for felling of 95 trees. The Garden Department of NMC has a massive shortfall of manpower as only two permanent employees are working with the help of 9 contractual staff in all 10 zones in the city. At this scenario, it is very difficult for the civic body to identify and develop new green covers in city. Implementation of Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees.

 

Act, 1975 (150 marks): As per the norms of Urban Tree Act, there should be a local tree committee in every city which will decide the fate of trees in the city and also the compensatory plantation status of various projects. From last three years, Nagpur city has no tree committee as it was dissolved by the previous Municipal Commissioner. Now, the Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari is appointing a new tree committee soon. Geo-tagging and tree census (125 marks): The long-awaited tree census of Nagpur city is currently facing a road-block as the implementing company is demanding the renewal of contract with NMC. As a result, the project delayed by almost one year and it will take at least six more months to get the exact number of trees in the second capital. Tree census will also give the exact scenario of total percentage of green cover in the city as it was last took place 12 years ago.

 

The civic body has to put emphasise on all these categories to improve the ranking at State-level this year. Restricting mindless tree felling should be stopped. More involvement of upcoming tree committee is needed before allowing tree-felling for different projects. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is behaving like that backbencher in the class who is lenient towards its performance and giving excuses of his failure in environment conservation and cleanliness fronts. The city constantly score poor in Swachh Survekshan and Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan and performs like an average student in both these exams.