Amritsar admn mulls increase in green cover to mitigate heat impact

With monsoon expected to arrive in the region in the days ahead, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney has instructed the district heads of all departments to immediately identify the places for planting trees in their respective offices. Addressing a special meeting on this subject today, the Deputy Commissioner said that to mitigate the impact of heat and reduce surface heat across Amritsar, increase in green cover is a must.

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Emphasis on earmarking empty spaces for plantation will be done and officials have been directed to find such open spaces for plantation of shady trees at the earliest. She said that this work of merit should be done voluntarily and not considering it as a government duty. Given that monsoon is about to begin, identifying places, digging holes and planting trees, is of significance.

The Deputy Commissioner clarified that under the tree conservation policy, cutting of trees is not allowed, even on non-forest land without the permission of the SDM, and in future, no such work will be taken lightly.

Showing the heat map obtained from satellite, she said that special attention should be paid to places in the district where heat affects more The Deputy Commissioner said that all departments should take the help of Miyawaki technology to plant mini forests in high surface heat areas. She laid special emphasis on planting five plants on each tube in the city’s parking lots, petrol pumps, school-college complexes, residential colonies and on boundary pillars used for dividing the fields.

According to data, the surface temperature in Amritsar during peak summer months of May and June ranges between 25 degree to 39 degree Celsius. The highest temperatures are generally found in areas with more built-up surfaces like the city centre and industrial areas. Conversely, areas with more vegetation, like parks and agricultural land, would show lower surface temperatures. The DC also asked officials to collect data on the saplings planted last year and how many of them were able to survive.

Meanwhile, the ground reality is that saplings planted during previous plantation drives along the BRTS lanes, roadsides and marked commercial areas including Ranjit Avenue, have dried up due to lack of maintenance.