Chennai, Oct 5: In a boost to the city’s ecology, about 15,250 saplings will be planted for the financial year 2019-2020, at the Nanmangalam Reserve Forest.
In response to a petition filed by a resident to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell seeking necessary action to restore greenery in the forest area, the government has said that the work will begin once the monsoons commence.
The reply also stated that a total of 12,000 saplings under Massive Tree Planting programme and another 6,700 under Tamilnadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII) programme, have been maintained during 2018-19.
According to sources, the said petition was filed by Dayanand, a resident from Pradeep and Karthik Avenue, who said the afforestation of the reserve forest should be done using native tree saplings.
“This in turn will help the ecology around the locality and will also aid bio-diversity. As the Southern suburbs are seeing a sharp spurt in urban growth leading to huge concrete buildings, this reserved forest will act as an ecological balancer and as a catalyst for rain clouds to bring in good showers,” he mentioned.
Dayanand noted that he is elated with the response and hopes that the government implements the plan successfully.
It may be noted that Nanmangalam Reserve Forest located at the Velacheri-Tambaram High Road, is one of the few places through which, the city breathes.
The green space covers an area of 320 hectares. However, it is said the total area of the forest is 2,400 hectares. More than 83 species of birds thrive among the thick foliage, even as the premises is home to 500 species of flora.