Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, June 27 (IANS) Plans to develop 101 oxygen parks in Ahmedabad alongside a large-scale plantation drive across 308 locations in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency have been finalised as part of a wider green-cover expansion programme aimed at increasing urban greenery and public access to open green spaces.

The decisions were taken during a high-level review meeting held in Ahmedabad under the chairmanship of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.

The meeting was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and senior administrative officials, including Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Das.

According to the plan, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will develop 101 oxygen parks equipped with walking tracks, lighting, signage, parking facilities and children’s play areas.

The Home Minister directed that details of all parks, including photographs, videos, and GPS locations, be made available on a single online platform to ensure public access to information in one place.

Separately, a major plantation drive will be carried out at 308 identified locations across the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency on July 12, with coordination between administrative departments and public participation initiatives.

The programme forms part of a broader effort to increase green cover across urban and semi-urban areas.

The Forest Department has been assigned a target of planting over 60 lakh saplings and developing 82 green protection zones described as “Van Kavach”.

Overall, the combined plantation target across agencies has been set at more than 1.26 crore trees, including contributions from municipal bodies, development authorities, industrial institutions and voluntary organisations.

Under the distribution of responsibilities, the AMC is expected to plant 31.43 lakh saplings in the Lok Sabha constituency and 9 lakh in Ahmedabad district, Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation with 6.27 lakh, Gandhinagar district with 12.5 lakh, AUDA with 4 lakh, GUDA with 1.67 lakh, and GIDC with 1 lakh.

In addition, 121 organisations, including social groups, banks and industries, have committed to the plantation and maintenance of around 28.50 lakh trees. More than 2.33 lakh volunteers are expected to participate in the campaign.

To encourage wider public participation, households in tenements, row houses and bungalows are to be provided with one free sapling each.

The initiative is part of the broader campaign titled “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0”, under which institutions are also expected to undertake plantation activities through corporate social responsibility commitments.

–IANS

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