BHUBANESWAR: As the existing urban green zones are under threat due to rapid expansion and development of infrastructure, the State government on Tuesday decided to develop seven urban forests in and around the Twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The proposed urban forests will be developed on the forest land or vacant land of the two local urban local bodies in collaboration with Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) and city forest divisions.
This was decided at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary S C Mahapatra while reviewing the progress of greenery and plantations in the urban areas of the State.
PCCF Sisir Ratho said six urban patches in and around Bhubaneswar such as Ekamra Kanan, Medicinal Plant Knowledge Centre, Smruti Van, Ekamra Van, Jayadev Vatika and the upcoming urban forest Nagar Van are the potential spots for urban forest park. Similarly, Nandan Van and Arogya Van in Cuttack city could be developed into urban forests with basic infrastructure, parking and amenities.
It was decided that Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) would provide infrastructure support like pathways, drinking water, electricity, picnic pindis in the urban forest parks and OFDC would maintain the parks. The urban forest parks will have facilities for morning walks, recreation and refreshment.
As management of Ekamra Kanan and Jayadev Vatika has proved a successful model, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Mona Sharma said that the urban forest parks could be managed on the basis of a self-sustaining revenue-generating model by OFDC.
RCCF Manoj Mohapatra said the plantation sites at Begachhia, Kishannagar, Odapada, Arilo, Brjabiharipur, Kampur, Bhusauni Pitha, Badagaon, Atoda, Mahanadi and Kathajodi embankment, Sector-8 CDA and Uttampur could be developed as urban forests.
SITES IDENTIFIED
Bhubaneswar - Ekamra Kanan, Medicinal Plant Knowledge Center, Smruti Van, Ekamra Van, Jayadev Vatika and the upcoming urban forest Nagar Van
Cuttack - Nandan Van and Arogya Van