By IANS,
Kolkata : In a joint initiative with the state government for a greener West Bengal, the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) Sunday announced that it will plant over 45,000 sapplings along river banks in the state. The government will also plant more than one crore sapplings across the state.
Speaking at a function marking the World Environment Day Sunday, KoPT chairman M.L. Meena said that over 45,000 mangrove and salt-tolerant sapplings will be planted along the river banks in the state.
“Under our green initiative, we have also started making paperless transactions which, by our estimates, will result in saving 30 trees annually,” said Meena.
The KoPT has also undertaken programmes on conservation.
“We have adopted several measures to reduce consumption of diesel by 10 percent annually. We are also developing our infrastructure for controlling oil spills which can be a major threat to environment and marine life,” said Meena.
He added that KoPT will spend about Rs.2 crore annually towards its green initiatives.
Public Works Department Minister Firhad Hakim said collaboration with KoPT was essential for implementing the government’s plan to make the city green.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation will plant over one lakh sapplings in the city, while the state government will plant more than one crore sapplings across the state.
Hakim, Meena and Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee also planted sapplings on the occasion.