Sambalpur, Nov. 1: The forest division of the city is developing a mega nursery at Jampali in the municipal corporation limits to produce quality saplings.

The nursery is being developed on an area of 11 hectare at an estimated cost of around Rs 2.4 crore. "The seedlings produced at the mega nursery will be of high quality and will be used for plantation in various areas of the district. Moreover, we have decided to provide quality saplings to other departments that undertake plantation. The nursery will provide quality saplings to improve forestry. Common people will also be allowed to buy saplings from the nursery," said divisional forest officer Santosh Joshi.

Saplings of indigenous species such as teak, mango, amla, medicinal plants, karanj, eucalyptus and many more varieties will be produced at the nursery.

The forest department has renovated a tank on the plot of land proposed for the nursery. The tank will supply water to the nursery. "The mega nursery will produce at least 8 lakh quality seedlings in a year," said forest range officer Uttam Gadnayak.