Chandigarh, 13 January 2025: Chandigarh’s green cover, excluding the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, has grown significantly, increasing from 37.88 sq km in 2021 to 46.18 sq km in 2023, marking a 22% rise, according to the latest Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR).
The Forest Survey of India (FSI), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, conducts this nationwide survey biennially. In an affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chandigarh Deputy Conservator of Forests, Navneet Kumar Srivastava, provided detailed data on the city’s expanding forest and tree cover.
“The tree cover in Chandigarh was just 2 sq km in 2001. By 2023, it had risen to 21.18 sq km,” Srivastava mentioned.
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The report noted that forested areas grew from 22.88 sq km in 2021 to 25 sq km in 2023, while tree cover increased from 15 sq km to 21.18 sq km over the same period.
Officials credit this growth to sustained efforts by the UT Administration and various agencies under the Greening Chandigarh Action Plan (GCAP).
The plan, developed annually by the Forest Department, the Municipal Corporation, and the horticulture wing of the Engineering Department, sets plantation targets and promotes indigenous species like shisham, shahtoot, khair, and babul.
Notably, exotic species have been excluded from plantation drives in recent years.
Saplings are distributed free of cost to residents, and stakeholders like NGOs, resident welfare associations, eco clubs, environmental societies, and the media are actively involved in these initiatives.
“Continuous collaboration with communities has been essential in protecting forests and expanding the green cover,” Srivastava added.
The increase reflects Chandigarh’s commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation, offering a model for urban afforestation efforts.