A massive greenery campaign will be taken up in Visakhapatnam city during the next two years with as many as 27 lakh saplings to be planted during the period, according to Ashwani Kumar, the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology and Environment & Forests.
He was addressing the media here on Monday afternoon after the completion of a two-day visit of the committee. He said the Green Visakha project, launched even before the cyclone Hudhud, had aimed at plantation of 40 lakh saplings and so far 13 lakh saplings could be planted. "The rest of 27 lakh saplings would be planted in the next two years. The PSU industries, the private units, the two ports, the Government organisations and NGOs will all be involved in the massive effort. We have been given an assurance that greenery will be restored to Vizag in the next two years," he said.
Ashwani Kumar said the pollution caused by the port figured prominently in the discussions. The Visakhapatnam port authorities had given the committee an assurance that cargo handling at the port was being mechanised and rationalised at the port vastly reducing the pollution levels. Several projects were in execution and the problem would be brought under control. "However, we have also received several petitions from the NGOs, and other civil society organisations disputing the claims of the port authorities. But I am confident the promise to bring down the pollution levels to the acceptable limits will be kept," he said.
Vizag bowl area : He said the committee had taken cognisance of the fact that Vizag bowl area presented a huge challenge on the environmental front, as the polluting gases could not escape into the atmosphere.
Vehicular pollution was also a major problem, as 350 new vehicle registrations were taking place every day in the city on the aggregate and "there is an urgent need to enforce stricter emission norms."
There needs to be a long-term vision and short-term action plan for addressing the many and varied environmental challenges facing the city and the committee will make suitable recommendations to the Government for achieving the goal, he said.