Kolkata: Members of Ecologic, a nature lovers' forum in New Town that has planted over 4,000 trees across the township over the past four years, have taken up an initiative to develop nurseries at their homes for different types of small trees that will eventually be planted along the roads.
"We are developing small nurseries at our homes. It will help if we can grow 15 to 20 trees ourselves instead of buying them from nurseries outside and then plant them along roads. We will have to take permission from the authorities concerned," said a founding member of Ecologic, Biswajit Majumdar, who has planted around 20 trees, such as neem and mango, at his apartment complex.
Another member, Rupa Sharan Ganguly, a gynaecologist, has planted 500 trees on the divider from Biswa Bangla Gate towards Eco Park. Her dream, she said, was to "turn New Town into Neem Town".
Amitava Puri, another member of the forum, collects the seeds of Indian almond or kath badam. "I am growing about 22 kath badam trees at my home. They will be planted along roads this season," he said.
Stressing the need to increase the green cover of the city, the forum not only plants trees but also takes care of them, ensuring the survival of almost 80% of the 4,000-odd saplings—neem, bakul, Arjun, amlaki, jamun, palash, banyan and Radhachura—planted so far. Some young plants were temporarily barricaded with bamboo sticks and some with iron mesh nets.
"We want a pollution-free environment with more greenery and less plastic," said a member.