PANAJI
The implementation of the ‘urban forestry’ plan proposed jointly by the Forest and Urban Development ministries will kick off from Margao shortly, TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane has said.
Rane, who also holds both the portfolios involved ” Forest and Urban Development ” said he conducted a detailed review of the plan on Friday with officials of the Forest department and the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), which focused on developing urban forests across all municipal areas in the State.
“In the first phase, we will begin with the Margao Municipal Council. We aim to take this initiative forward on a war footing. Strategies were discussed for increasing tree plantation and enhancing green cover to promote sustainability and biodiversity,” Rane said, adding that the goal is to create serene spaces where people can unwind in the evenings.
The plan, which involves developing green lungs in concretised urban areas and shaded areas, is also aimed at ameliorating air quality and will use the Miyawaki afforestation technique first on the Sonssodo waste dump area.
Forest and DMA departments will jointly monitor the plan’s implementation, and StudioPOD has been roped in for expertise in designing the green spaces.
