Ranchi, May 4: Promises of giving the capital a green look are yet to take concrete shape. Large parts of the city do not have any trees and plants on the streets. The forest department did make an honest effort last year, but lack of funds forced them to abandon their plans. This year again, the department is back with its set of grand plans.

A year after the afforestation drive was launched, most plants have died. The gabians (steel coverings for plants) are not in good shape. The forest department had shied away from the plantation drive in the absence of proper enclosures. Forest officials argued that the rising cattle population in the city has posed a threat to plants. In the absence of proper protection, they said, plants cannot survive. The department then decided to put up barbed wires around plantation areas but even this plan could not be worked out due to inadequate funds.

“We floated a tender and the prices quoted were so high that we had to shelve the idea. We were so keen to get on with the work that we even contacted the agencies that are putting up barbed fences on the Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders. But the prices quoted were higher than what we expected. All the tender bidders quoted rising steel prices as the reason for high cost of fencing wires,” said J.L. Srivastav, principal chief conservator of forests.

“We then floated tenders for barbed wire fencing. The least price quoted was Rs 30,900 per metric ton of wire for Ranchi. The government did not approve such high prices and we backed off from the drive,” C.R. Sahay, conservator of forests (development) said. He said the department plans to plant about 9,000 Seesham plants in July.

Residents allege only areas where officials stay are fortunate to have new plants on streets. “Trees are planted in areas where prominent personalities reside,” said K. Prasad, a resident of Bariatu housing colony.

The forest officials, however, are ready with their answers. “It’s not that we plant trees only in the areas where VIPs live. If the residents of a locality take active interest in a plantation drive, more trees get planted there.”

Even we are not satisfied with the results of last year’s efforts. We are trying to plant at least 9,000 trees and put up gabians this year,” said Sahay.