BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will plant two lakh saplings in the state capital and its periphery this year.
Housing and Urban Development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, who inaugurated the plantation programme on Thursday, said developing urban forests using Miyawaki method will be given priority. The minister planted saplings at Nagar Van project area in Kalinga Nagar.
Mayor Sulochana Das said keeping in view the success of Miyawaki forests at six places last year, this year’s programme will include development of 20 more mini urban forests using the same method. “The technique will help us plant more trees within small spaces and create small urban forests while addressing the constraints of open space in the city,” she said.
In 2024-25, the BMC had set a target of planting one lakh saplings. However, the civic body could plant only around 60,000 due to space constraints. Over 20,000 saplings had been planted in Miyawaki forest project.