Kolkata: The New Town Kolkata development Authority (NKDA) is planning to engage agencies to maintain and protect the greenery on the green verges of New Town.
Recently, NKDA had initiated the process to engage agencies for maintenance of green verge nos. 3 and 5 in Action Area IIIC for one year. The authorities are also planning to engage agencies for putting up bamboo fences along the periphery of several green verges, like nos.3,14,15,16, 22 and 23 in Action Area II.
NKDA officials said that these green patches amidst the concrete jungle provide breathing space and help maintain the environmental balance and that several organisations and NGOs had been coming forward to adopt the green verges for their maintenance. There are about 40 such green verges across the township and trees such as neem, guava, coconut, banyan, morenga and others are being planted as per the suitability of the soil.
One such NGO, which has adopted six such green verges in Action Area II and planted over 6,000 trees of different species, have followed the Miyawaki method, a Japanese method of tree plantation in which different species of plants are planted close to each other as the trees grow faster.
“The aim behind adopting the green verges was to increase greenery to combat climate change. Within eight to nine months of following the method, many trees became over 10-feet tall. The aim was to increase the density of plantation and this has been hugely successful as more trees are being planted,” said an official.
NKDA has also been developing micro gardens in different places across New Town that were earlier used to dump waste. The grounds have been cleaned and laid with lush green grass. Saplings have been planted on the sides and a walkways have been constructed for people to take a stroll and spend quality time.