Bhubaneswar: The transport department has decided to introduce the "One Vehicle, One Plant" scheme in the state capital to increase its green cover.
As part of the scheme, which will be launched this month, automobile dealers will distribute one sapling each for one vehicle sold.
A senior transport official said that the idea was mooted as the automobile industry contributed significantly to air pollution. "The state capital has been witnessing gruelling summer in recent years. Many trees are also being axed to facilitate construction. All this are having a negative impact on the environment. So, we decided to launch the campaign to help increase the city's green cover," said a transport official.
Regional Transport Officer, Bhubaneswar-II, S.K. Behera said that the dealers had agreed to extend their support for the campaign.
"A meeting to finalise the modalities of the campaign will be held on Thursday. Forest officials will also attend the meeting," said Behera.
The city has more than 60 automobile showrooms and around 8,000 vehicles - including motorcycles - are sold here every month. Transport department officials said that customers buying new vehicles would be provided with saplings of champa, baula, karanj, neem, pijuli and mango trees.
"We will rope in an NGO that will provide the saplings to the automobile dealers every month and the showrooms concerned will bear the cost of the saplings. To ensure the distribution of saplings, the showrooms need to produce a letter of oath regarding supply of saplings with the registration documents. The customers can plant the saplings either in their backyard or at any vacant place," added Behera.
Officials in the Odisha State Pollution Control Board said that vehicular pollution accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the city's total air pollution. Vehicular population of the capital city increased from 7 lakh to 11 lakh in last five years while one lakh new vehicle is being added every year. "We have also intensified our drive against polluting vehicles. We also urge the vehicle owners to ply vehicles with valid 'pollution under control' certificate," said a transport official.
