- Commissioner orders digitization and enhanced green initiatives
Bhopal, – In a significant move towards modernizing urban green spaces, Bhopal’s Divisional Commissioner, Sanjeev Singh, has directed the digitization of all 241 parks across the city. This ambitious project aims to integrate comprehensive park information onto GIS maps, providing a detailed overview including ward, zone, survey number, area, tree count, and caretaker details for each park.
The directive came during a review meeting on Monday, held at the Divisional Commissioner’s office, focusing on the city’s extensive tree plantation efforts for the monsoon season. Commissioner Singh emphasized the need for maximum afforestation this rainy season, stressing that plantation drives must be complemented by robust post-planting care, including irrigation after rainfall, and proper fencing for protection. He also insisted on the use of adequately sized and high-quality saplings and adherence to a defined plantation action plan to ensure effective greening of all city wards.
Expanding green cover and community engagement
The Commissioner also called for greater public involvement, urging citizens to understand the importance of tree plantation and encouraging them to plant “one tree in the name of mother.”
The meeting, attended by key officials including DFO Ms. Nidhi Chauhan, Joint Commissioner Vinod Yadav, Additional Commissioner Nagar Nigam Shri Devendra Singh Chauhan, and Smart City SDO Shri Ritesh Sharma, alongside representatives from BDA, CPA, and the Horticulture Department, reviewed the current green cover. It was reported that Bhopal currently boasts 314,490 trees in Municipal Corporation parks, 296,588 under social forestry, 2,887 in Bhopal Development Authority parks, and 1,250 in Horticulture Department parks.
Further instructions included ensuring fencing for all parks currently lacking it and a joint effort by relevant departments and the Revenue Department to update land records (khasra) for the parks.
