Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to spend Rs 20 crore to plant 21 lakh trees

AHMEDABAD: In the next two months, the civic authorities will plant 22 lakh trees across Ahmedabad city and surrounding areas at an approximate expenditure of Rs 36 crore. Sources said that interestingly while Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) expenditure to plant 21 lakh trees is Rs 20 crore, Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) will plant 1 lakh trees at an expenditure of Rs 16 crore. AUDA's expenditure for planting 1 lakh trees is around 20 times higher than that of AMC's as it has contracted the plantation job to private firms which includes installation of tree guards and two-year maintenance.

Both the civic authorities will begin its plantation drive from July 24 and complete it by September 30.

Sources in AUDA said that two tenders have been sanctioned for planting 1 lakh trees. "In one tender 25,000 trees will be planted alongside a 75km stretch of SP Ring Road and service roads at an expense of Rs 10 crore. In another tender, 75,000 trees will be planted in 75 villages falling under AUDA jurisdiction.

Jignesh Patel, director of AMC's garden department said that 20 urban forests will be developed across the city having a total of 21 lakh trees.