Shimla MC to plant fast-growing trees in landslide-prone zones

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 18

With the recent rains leaving a large number of trees uprooted and many dangerously tilting, the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) has devised a plan to plant thousands of trees — most of them of fast-growing varieties — across the city. Most trees would be planted in the landslide zones of the city.

Mitigating losses

• Phagli, Krishna Nagar and Shiv Mandir at Summer Hill witnessed landslides in the city.
• Apart from these, the MC will also plant trees at other vulnerable areas across the city.
• Mayor Surender Chauhan said, “There has been a large-scale devastation due to the rain-induced landslides and uprooting of trees. Now, we need to take measures to ensure that we protect our environment for the future. We are hopeful that such plantation drives would play an instrumental role in mitigating loss.”

The MC has decided to plant the fast-growing bamboo trees and grass.

Three areas where major landslides were reported in the city are Shiv Mandir at Summer Hill, Phagli and Krishna Nagar. Apart from these, the MC will also plant trees at other vulnerable areas in the city.

Mayor Surender Chauhan said, “There has been a large-scale devastation due to the rain-induced landslides and uprooting of trees. Now, we need to take measures to ensure that we protect our environment for the future. We are hopeful that such plantation drives would play an instrumental role in mitigating loss and damage in such calamities in future. This will also minimise the risk of landslides.”

“We will mainly be planting fast-growing varieties of trees, which can hold the soil and prevent its erosion during heavy rains. We are also planning to pant trees at the catchment areas of the water sources to solve the problem of silt deposit. Growing bamboo tree is easier than growing other varieties of trees. Bamboo require less care after being planted,” the Mayor said.

Accumulation of silt at water sources during the monsoon season became a major cause for concern for the local administration as the water supply in the city remained suspended for days. The residents had to bear the brunt. Planting trees at the catchment areas of the water sources would help resolve the silt problem to a large extent, Chauhan said.

An MC official said following land subsidence, many areas in the city have come under the danger zone and planting trees is the need of the hour.

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