Dumping yard in Mullanpur to be converted into mini forest

Mahesh Sharma

Raikot, January 20

Continuing his mission to develop 1,000 mini and micro forests by planting one crore saplings of diverse species of herbs, shrubs and trees by close of the 2021, Rohit Mehra, an IRS officer, has roped in constituents of Municipal Council, Mullanpur, led by Akash Bansal (IAS) to transform a 55,000 square feet garbage dump yard into a mini forest by planting 1,000 saplings.

The venture to transform the dump yard into a mini forest was launched during a campaign launched against non-biodegradable wastes and use of banned polythene bags by the Mullanpur civic body led by executive officer Akash Bansal recently. “Having found the garbage dump yard a nuisance for residents of the region we decided to develop a mini forest by planting saplings of various species of herbs, shrubs and trees by involving all constituents of the civic body and other NGOs of the area,” said Rohit Mehra.

Illustrating the strategic layout of the pattern of plantation, Mehra said plants with different needs of micro and macro nutrients were planted in proximity to each other so that the consumed nutrients are replenished automatically and spontaneously. “Instead of adopting the common practice to grow trees of one kind we chose saplings of those native species which have different requirements of specific minerals available in average soil,” said Mehra adding that the economic, medicinal and ecological value is also considered at the time of selecting varieties of plants to be grown.

Mehra has already made it to the Limca Book of Records for making the Ludhiana Income Tax Building as the first vertical garden in the region. The exterior wall was covered with green foliage, plastic bottles, plastic bins and hanging earthen pots.