Chandigarh growing greener

CHANDIGARH: The city is growing greener by the day and the density of its green cover too is getting intense with 35.7 per cent forest cover, the Union Territory of Chandigarh tops the list of the greenest cities in Asia followed by Delhi which has 20% forest cover.

The increased density is born out by the fact that yellow pockets of the forest cover (with 40% density) have since turned green (60% density) and green pockets have turned black (with 80% density). According to the State Forest Report, 2007, the forest cover in the Union Territory has increased to 35.7% of its total geographical area as compared to 29.3% in 2003 and only 21% in 1991.

The cover has exceeded the 33 per cent target set by the National Forest Policy of India. The density of forest cover too has increased in some pockets to more than 60%.

The report puts the total green cover area in the country at 23.5%.

Apparently, the results of the Greening Chandigarh Action Plan, launched by the Chandigarh Administration, have started kicking in.

Buoyed up by the outcome, the UT Forest Department has set a target of planting 69,581 trees and 48,406 shrubs on both government and private land in 2009-10.