PCMC to plant 1.5 lakh saplings this monsoon

Pimpri: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has planned to plant 1.5 lakh saplings in various parts of the city during this monsoon season.

Altogether, 40,000 saplings will be planted in the first phase of this tree plantation project. 

The civic body’s Standing Committee has sanctioned Rs 3.48 crore for the first phase of the project.

Standing Committee Chairman Vilas Madigeri presided over the meeting held on Wednesday. It has planned to plant 35,000 saplings in Pimple Gurav, Pimple Nilakh and other areas falling in the Aundh defence area. New Garden Gurus Farm and Nursery has been given the contract to plant trees and maintain saplings for two years. The agency has been sanctioned Rs 2.48 crore for the contract at the rate of Rs 710 per sapling.

Five thousand saplings will also be planted on the area along the BRTS route. Nisarg Services has been sanctioned Rs 1.08 crore for maintenance of the saplings for a year.

The forest department will undertake tree plantation on a mountain in Dighi. The standing committee has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for this purpose.

In Rupee Nagar, 30,000 saplings will be planted along the area bordering the Dehu Road Cantonment Board jurisdiction. 

The BVG company has been given the contract for this plantation. The Standing Committee has approved Rs 2 crore for this plantation.