PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
The Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) planted fruit-bearing and medicinal saplings at the Raipur Army Firing Range to increase green cover in Dehradun. The authority has also arranged iron wire fencing and two years of maintenance to protect the plants, officials said on Tuesday.
MDDA vice chairman Banshidhar Tiwari planted the saplings along with Army officials at the site. The initiative has been taken as part of efforts to protect the environment while the city continues to expand.
Officials said the plantation was not being treated as a one-day campaign. Iron fencing has been installed around the plantation area to protect the saplings from damage. A two-year maintenance arrangement has also been made.
Tiwari said planting saplings was only the first step and that protecting them until they grow into trees was the main responsibility. He said Dehradun’s identity was linked to its greenery and natural beauty and that development should take place along with environmental protection.
Tiwari said the authority was focusing on the protection and maintenance of plants along with plantations. He said the fencing and regular maintenance would provide a safer environment for the saplings and help them grow.
