DIMAPUR — The barren landscape of Naga Shopping Arcade (Super Market) in Dimapur will likely soon don a green look as a plantation drive was carried out on Thursday under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Led by Nagaland Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change (EFCC), CL John and the department’s Commissioner and Secretary, Y Kikheto Sema, 150 Nahor (Mesua ferrea) and 300 Bougainvillea spectabilis saplings were planted along the stretch of the market measuring approximately 2,500 feet long.
The plantation drive was organised by the Dimapur Forest Division.
The NCAP was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), Government of India, in 2019 with the aim of reducing the concentration of particulate matter by 40% from 2017 levels by 2026.
It may be mentioned that all the trees along the stretch of the market were cut down during October 2022, after an unfortunate incident where two lives were lost and several others injured.
NBCC should take up plantation campaign – CL John
Meanwhile, addressing the plantation drive programme, the EFCC minister said that the Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (NBCC) should also take up plantation campaign, just like the council’s clean election movement, in the state.
Insisting that tree plantation is also mentioned in the Holy Bible, the minister was of the opinion that unnecessary cutting down of trees is also a sin.
Maintaining that tree plantation is very important, John however lamented that in Nagaland, instead of planting trees people are cutting down more trees.
Underscoring the need to initiate a green revolution to protect the environment, he urged the NBCC to organise tree plantation drives across the state since the citizens will listen to the council.
In his keynote address, the commissioner and secretary, EFCC, appealed to the GBs of the area and the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) to not allow street vendors to turn the road stretch into a bazaar. Kikheto also said that no billboard advertisement should be displayed along the stretch as this will damage the beauty of the newly planted area.
He also appealed to the area authorities to coordinate with the district administration and Forest department for installing CCTVs and streetlights in the area.
Reminding all the citizens to create awareness on the need to take care of the biodiversity, he cautioned that if remedial measures are not taken, then a may come when Dimapur may become unlivable due to hot weather.
The official went on to suggest that biodiversity issues should be included in the syllabus of elementary education and church pulpits. He lauded the NBCC for declaring the first week of June to bring awareness about environment and biodiversity in the church.
He appealed to the citizens not to dumb garbage along the stretch where the trees are planted.