Odisha Sows Idea For Five Urban Jungles

Odisha Sows Idea For Five Urban Jungles

Eyeing a greener future for its people, Odisha has proposed to create five ‘Nagar Vans’ (urban forests) in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela under a central scheme. Odisha’s Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha proposed this at the State Forest Ministers’ Conference on August 17.

Arukha also urged Union Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar, who presided over the conference, to approve the proposal at the earliest. Estimated to cost Rs 13.84 crore, the Nagar Van project aims to provide much needed green corridors in fast developing urban areas of Odisha.

Speaking at the conference, Arukha said the Odisha government firmly believed in maintaining a balance between industrial progress and ecological preservation. He also talked about Odisha’s long tradition of forest conservation by forest dependent communities and said the state has 33.15 % of forest cover as per the State Forest Report, 2019.

The Odisha Forest Department will set up 100 nurseries in the best performing schools in the state with eco clubs and National Green Corps with central funds. The process to identify the schools for the scheme has already started.

The department has also launched an online TT permit portal. The National Transit Pass System Portal is being closely monitored and it will be seamlessly integrated with Odisha’s TT Permit Portal whenever the modalities are shared by the Central government.

During the current financial year, the state has raised 13.70 crore saplings for plantation over 1.30 lakh hectares and distribution to the public. This is higher than the target set for Odisha by the Centre.

Under MGNREGS, in addition to afforestation, soil and moisture conservation activities, digging of trenches around forests, subsidiary silvi-cultural operations in timber coupes and forest road repair works have been taken up in large scale.

Odisha is implementing ‘Green Mahanadi Mission’ scheme since 2018-19 with plantation on 1 to 2 km of land on both sides of River Mahanadi. Arukha also requested for funds from the Central government’s CAMPA scheme for the success of ‘Green Mahanadi Mission’.

Addressing the online conference, Javadekar asked all the states to advance the central government’s eco-friendly plans such as Nagar Van Scheme, Plantation Under 20 Point Programme, School Nursery Scheme, Lidar Survey for Soil Moisture Conservation and afforestation in the catchments of 13 rivers among others.

The Union minister also informed that Project Dolphin and Project Lion will be launched soon to increase the number of dolphins and lions in the country.