Maharashtra: KDMC commissioner declares Kalyan-Dombivli as 'City of Trees'

KALYAN: Dr Indurani Jakhar, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Commissioner, asserted that the twin Kalyan-Dombivli city will be known as the 'City of Trees'.

Jakhar was speaking while appreciating the tree census report published by Chief Gardening Superintendent Sanjay Jadhav at the Standing Committee hall of KDMC.

While presenting the tree census report for the year 2023-24, Jadhav said KDMC conducted a survey of trees across KDMC limits and found 7,36,005 trees in the twin city. Jakhar asserted that there is a wide range of biodiversity in the municipal area. It is also important to increase the number of trees in the municipal area to be named a sustainable and environmentally complementary city.

A total of 206 species were found in the tree survey for which it took 12 months in the KDMC limits, including Amla, Behda, Bahawa, Anant, Vad, Pimpal, Arjun, Apta, Bell, Sag, and Bibba. Jadhav said out of the total 7,36,005 trees in the municipal area, around 77% (566,975) are indigenous species, and 23% (169,030) are exotic species.

The report also states that there are 2,014 heritage trees in the municipal area, with 98% being more than 50 years old. Jadhav informed that during the survey, GIS/GPS-based technology was used to provide information about the location of trees, names of trees, height, age, and health condition of trees.

During this time, KDMC chief decided to plant more trees in the city. For this, she appealed to all the NGOs and social organisations of the city to plant trees in as many places as possible.

During this time, Jakhar also suggested to the city's town planning department that while giving permission for the building plan, it should ask the builder to plant as many trees as possible in the projects.