Chandigarh, August 22:- In a major step towards creating cleaner, greener and more sustainable marketplaces, the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has initiated a mass plantation drive to transform the Sector 40 Market into the city’s first fully green market.

The plantation drive, involving around 2,500 plants, was launched by MC Joint Commissioner Sh. Balbir Raj Singh along with local Councillor Smt. Gurbaksh Rawat, with active participation from local residents and market associations.

Appreciating the initiative, Joint Commissioner Sh. Balbir Raj described it as a unique and innovative concept and congratulated Councillor Gurbaksh Rawat for envisioning the transformation of neglected spaces around market entrances into vibrant green areas.

Councillor Gurbaksh Rawat said that vacant spaces at market entrances often become dumping spots for garbage, debris and waste. Converting such spaces into landscaped green areas with grass and plantations can significantly improve the cleanliness, aesthetics and overall environment of markets.

As part of the initiative, MCC cleared debris and malba from vacant patches, prepared the land, developed green beds and planted grass and trees. The initiative is also being aligned with the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission, giving a clean and green makeover to previously underutilised spaces.

Superintending Engineer, Horticulture, Sh. Pratipal Singh, said that the project is being implemented without any additional expenditure, using available MCC resources, including plants received from the Forest Department and those raised in MCC nurseries.

The Horticulture team, under the supervision of Sh. Pratipal Singh, including Executive Engineer Sh. Ashwani Kumar played a key role in executing the initiative on the ground.

Councillor Rawat expressed gratitude to the MC team for their support. She said that local residents and traders had been seeking a cleaner, greener and more attractive Sector 40 Market, and the initiative would help fulfil that vision while also contributing towards improving the city’s cleanliness and environmental standards.

She appealed to other market associations and RWAs to join the “Green Market Campaign” and work with MCC to transform vacant and neglected spaces into green zones.

Councillor Rawat also urged citizens to identify dirty or unused spaces in their surroundings that can be beautified through cleaning, landscaping and plantation, and take up such initiatives in coordination with MCC and local councillors.

“When MCC, market associations, RWAs and citizens work together, Chandigarh can become cleaner, greener and more beautiful,” she said.

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