MMRDA will plant one crore trees in Mumbai

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has announced the setting up of a green committee to maintain and develop the ecology of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The authority has also announced an ambitious plan to plant one crore trees within the region. However, the MMRDA has not specified how long it will take to complete the plantation. The announcements came at a seminar on tree plantation and water harvesting, organised by the authority on Saturday.

Issues ranging from the need of the green cover — in the wake of melting glaciers, rising sea levels, rising global temperatures, violent storms and, in general, erratic behaviour of the nature — were discussed at the workshop.

“This initiative must turn into a people’s movement, for this is an initiative for the benefit of each living being,” said metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad.

Dr Prakash Shukla of CMC, Hyderabad, said: “If we do not step up our efforts, we will end up with infertile soil and a struggle to breathe,” said Dr Shukla.