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.
