A park in the city managed by Bhubaneswar Development Authority. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, June 13: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority has decided to take up plantation in the city parks this year, with exclusive focus on the indigenous species. This time, the authority is going to add 15,000 more saplings to the green drive.

While the city is planning to have 3.5 lakh saplings for its afforestation programme, the authority’s share comes as a contribution to the initiative coordinated by the city forest division.

This time, the authority has decided to plant species such as, champa and bakul. These plants are expected to propagate faster as the local environment is apt for the healthy growth of these varieties.

The BDA’s chief horticulturist Ashok N. Dhar said: “Till last year, our focus area was avenue plantation. However, with the development activities affecting many mature trees almost everywhere in the city, we have decided to plant more saplings in parks to add to the city green cover. We are also concentrating on renovation of more parks in the city and those which have been taken over from other departments.”

Last year at the Vanmahotsav, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced addition of 50 more parks in the city. However, of these, many had to be renovated.

Earlier, the parks were under control of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

However, as the lands belong to the general administration department, so far, the development authority has received possession letters for 17 parks, out of which work has already started in 12.

“Work on rest of the parks will be taken up once the possession letters reach us,” said Dhar.

The addition of 15,000 plants in 14 parks is expected to provide better environment for the walkers, joggers and visitors. Dhar said there would also be a comprehensive development plan to ensure proper planning of the parks for various localities in the city.

“Probably, Bhubaneswar will be the first city in India to have a plan on park development. Once it becomes a reality, there will be various types of parks as per the requirement. There will be park for kids, elders, physically challenged, women and for other visitors. As the city is growing fast, the plan for parks will also try to designate green areas for a locality as per the scientific analysis of land use and land cover,” said Dhar.

Environmentalist Bijay Mishra said: “It is a good step to go for plantation in parks. However, putting a ban on avenue plantation by the development authority is not good. As a development body, the authority should continue avenue plantation as it forms a part of the infrastructure development process. Many areas in the city, developed by the authority years ago, have less proportion of trees with respect to the population density. Therefore, it should consider fresh avenue plantation programmes in those housing colonies.”