The Times of India 26.07.2012
Mayor’s order for environment cell goes abegging
NAGPUR: Mayor Anil Sole had directed the civic administration to establish a special Environment Cell in NMC
two months ago in order to conserve city’s greenery and fight
pollution. He had wished to inaugurate it on World Environment Day that
falls on June 5.However, the administration simply ignored the
directive. An upset Sole said the special cell would have helped the NMC
drive to plant 1 lakh saplings/plants throughout the city succeed.
“More greenery is need of the hour. The NMC is going to launch such a
big drive but lacks dedicated staff. The project would be implemented
effectively with a special team for it. The cell will be formed as soon
as new municipal commissioner assumes charge,” he said.
Sole had even asked officials concerned to deploy a deputy engineer as
head of the cell and other staff. He got a room situated in the mayor
office vacated for the cell. Actually, NMC badly needs special
department for conservation of big trees, new plantation and control
ever increasing pollution. At present, the garden department that looks
after operation and maintenance of 65 gardens and new garden projects is
also assigned the task of tree plantation. The department is short of
staff for gardens itself. It is not able to do justice to any of the
works.
The tree plantation is not going on in proper manner for
last many years. The NMC nursery at Ambazari garden is in a shambles.
Big trees are coming down as their trunks have been choked by asphalt.
Illegal cutting of trees is rampant. The NMC is not at all prepared for
the plantation drive that will kick off from August 1.
A senior
NMC official blamed state government. “NMC had written to the government
asking for an officer from FDCM or forest department on deputation for
looking after the proposed environment department five-six months ago.
The government has not responded,” he said. However, he could not say
why NMC could not start the cell with its own staff.
It seems it
has become routine in NMC to not complying with mayor’s orders. Many
decisions taken by the past mayors too were ignored. Former mayor Archana Dehankar
wanted to develop Gandhisagar lake and was following up with officials
for past five years but to no avail despite funds being available. The
administration even ignored some orders passed in the general body by
the mayor.