Cuttack, June 8: With monsoon predicted to hit the state in a week’s time, the municipal corporation here has decided to make use of the rains to restore green cover in the city.

The civic body has decided to plant nearly 70,000 saplings during the monsoon season.

“As per the recommendations of the city district forest officer (DFO), we have chalked out a strategy to provide green cover by planting ornamental and other plants during the rainy season,” said municipal commissioner Gyanaranjan Das.

Das said that the state government had given them a target of planting nearly 50,000 saplings. Besides, several corporate houses have been asked to plant nearly 20,000 saplings this year.

“The city’s green cover in larger compared to Bhubaneswar’s. There is a need to go in for a major drive to maintain ecological balance in the city,” said Ganesh Tripathy, a resident of Kanika Chhak.

It is for the first time that the civic body will take up a plantation drive on a massive scale in all the 59 wards in the city.

Over 30,000 saplings were planted in association with various NGOs and schools last year, while nearly 20,000 saplings were planted in 2012.

Corporation officials said that on the occasion of Bana Mahotsav in 2011, they joined hands with the forest department to plant trees. Nearly 800 lemon seedlings were distributed among school students to create awareness about the environment.

The corporation had also distributed 1,225 seedlings to various institutions, while colony park was developed in two localities in 2011.

The civic body had taken up compact plantation on one hectare of open space at CDA Sector 10.

Apart from this, the civic body is planning to develop all the parks in the city. The civic body intends to approach different corporate houses and banks to maintain them.

“We have decided to develop and maintain all the 28 parks under the corporation limits under public-private-partnership mode. This will be finalised at the council meeting shortly,” said mayor Anita Behera.