BMC carries out Miyawaki plantation over half an acre in Salia Sahi

Bhubaneswar: To meet the WHO-recommended standard of 9 square metres of green cover per person in the city, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday took up Miyawaki plantation over half an acre, planting 3,000 saplings in the identified heat zone at Hatishuni in Salia Sahi slum here.

So far under Miyawaki, 75,000 trees have been planted and their survival rate is quite impressive, BMC officials said.

They said to increase green cover and reduce temperature, BMC has plans to create 10 Miyawaki forests in the current financial year. “We have set a target of planting 60,000 trees in the 10 forests,” said Krushna Chandra Mohapatra, housing and urban development minister, while inaugurating this year’s first Miyawaki forest at Hatiashuni.

He said more than 75,000 trees were planted using the Miyawaki method at 15 locations last year. “The Miyawaki plantation that was done last year has turned into distinct forests. All these trees have grown to over 10 feet and have become a dense forest,” Mohapatra said.

BMC officials said trees are being planted using the Miyawaki method at Nagar Bana, the field near APJ School at Ghatikia, Nayapalli Haja Pokhari, Kalinga Nagar K-6 and near Kalinga Studio. “To make Bhubaneswar clean, green and beautiful, BMC’s efforts are continuing with the support of the city forest division and Chandaka forest division,” said mayor Sulochana Das.

She said the only way to bring down temperature in the city is to have tree plantation. “Extensive tree plantation will protect the environment and prove highly helpful in tackling the climate,” the mayor said.

BMC officials said smoke emitted from cars and motors, and hot air emitted from ACs, enter our body through respiration and create various kinds of diseases. Only trees can help reduce the impact of scorching summer. “Fortunately, Bhubaneswar ranks fourth in the country in the clean air list. For Bhubaneswar to rank first in the country in the clean air index list, every person in BMC area needs to work towards it,” said the minister.

In the 2024-25 financial year, BMC planted more than 20,000 trees using the Miyawaki method at 5 locations. These have today turned into a dense forest.

If trees are planted using the ordinary method, only 1,600 trees can be planted on one hectare of land. But if trees are planted using the Miyawaki method, 5 times that, or 8,000 to 10,000 trees, can be planted on one hectare of land, BMC officials said.