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The Agartala Smart City Mission – an urban renewal and retrofitting programme undertaken by the Centre has decided to initiate a ‘compensatory afforestation drive’ for mitigating the ecological loss.

According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agartala Smart City Mission Limited – Sailesh Kumar Yadav stated that under a specific Asian Development Bank funded project, trees are being uprooted for ensuring that existing roads are been up-graded.

“To mitigate the loss to the overall green cover of Agartala city, we have already identified land for compensatory plantation. The funds have also been earmarked for the afforestation drive.” – shared Yadav, while speaking to ANI.

Keeping in view of the same, the Smart City Mission is trying its best to not harm the ecological balance and hence some adult trees have been relocated alive under the technical guidance of the Tripura Forest Department.

“Some trees that came exactly in the middle of the proposed road have been extracted. Otherwise, under the technical guidance of Tripura Forest Department, 200 hundred trees have been replanted in safe places where these adult trees would not get affected.” Yadav added.

He further asserted that around 1,000 trees will be planted and raised till the plants attain adulthood on both sides of the proposed four-lane road.