Bhubaneswar: A major urban greening effort took shape at the Temporary Transit Shelter (TTS) near Sainik School today as the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched a large-scale plantation drive, adding more than 1,000 saplings to the campus. Minister, Housing & Urban Development and Public Enterprises, Dr. Krishna Chandra Mohapatra, attended the programme as Chief Guest, formally opened the newly established Clean Canteen, and rolled out the plantation initiative.
Highlighting Bhubaneswar’s improved air quality, Dr. Mohapatra said the city securing the 4th position in the Clean Air Survey reflects the success of sustained environmental actions. He noted that extensive plantation under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has significantly contributed to reducing pollution levels across BMC limits. The Minister urged citizens, SHGs, educational institutions and organisations to strengthen the city’s green movement by actively supporting BMC’s plantation efforts.
BMC has been developing dense urban forests across different locations using scientific and sustainable plantation techniques. At the TTS campus, only saplings approved by the Pollution Control Board—primarily shade-providing, oxygen-rich and flower-bearing varieties—have been planted to enhance air quality. Medium-sized saplings were chosen to ensure faster canopy formation and quicker ecological benefits. The selection intentionally avoided fruit-bearing species to maintain focus on pollution mitigation and green cover enhancement.
Dr. Mohapatra added that although the TTS campus already had a substantial number of trees, the addition of over a thousand more saplings would strengthen the area’s ecological value.
Mayor Sulochana Das said that earlier Miyawaki forests developed by BMC have grown into dense green pockets across the city. “Plantation is only the beginning; long-term care ensures meaningful impact. BMC’s thriving urban forests are a result of sustained maintenance,” she noted.
Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, commended BMC’s ongoing efforts to reinforce the city’s ecological framework. She stressed that robust green infrastructure is as essential as physical infrastructure in a rapidly developing urban centre like Bhubaneswar. She stated that the plantation drive aligns with the State Government’s climate-resilience agenda and emphasised that citizen participation remains crucial for lasting environmental change.
