Dehradun: With a focus on balancing development with environmental conservation, the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) has taken another step towards strengthening Dehradun’s green cover. Under the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the authority has undertaken plantation work at the Raipur Army Firing Range, where fruit-bearing and medicinal plants of different varieties have been planted.
What sets the initiative apart is that MDDA has not limited the exercise to plantation alone. Arrangements have been made for the protection and maintenance of the saplings for the next two years. Iron wire fencing has also been installed around the plantation area to protect the plants from damage.
Focus Beyond Plantation: Protection and Maintenance
MDDA Vice-Chairman Banshidhar Tiwari, along with Army officials, participated in the plantation drive at the Raipur Army Firing Range. Fruit-bearing and medicinal plants were selected with the objective of increasing green cover and strengthening ecological diversity in the area.
The authority completed the necessary arrangements through a tender process. Officials said the key focus of the initiative is post-plantation care, as many saplings planted during such campaigns fail to survive due to inadequate protection and maintenance.
Keeping this in mind, MDDA has ensured protective fencing from the beginning and made arrangements for the regular maintenance of the plants for two years.
Balancing Urban Development with Green Cover
Dehradun is witnessing rapid urban expansion, with increasing population, residential development and construction activities. Amid this growth, protecting the city’s natural identity and green spaces has emerged as a major challenge.
The MDDA initiative is being viewed as an effort to strike a balance between planned development and environmental conservation. The plantation of fruit-bearing and medicinal plants is expected to increase green cover in the area while also supporting biodiversity in the coming years.
Green Initiative with the Army
The plantation drive at the Army firing range, conducted in collaboration with Army officials, also conveys a message of collective responsibility towards environmental protection.
Increasing green cover in a strategic area such as a military zone represents a positive step towards conserving natural resources. MDDA has made arrangements for regular care of the planted saplings so that the initiative delivers long-term results.
“Planting a Sapling is the First Step; Turning it into a Tree is the Real Responsibility”
MDDA Vice-Chairman Banshidhar Tiwari said Dehradun’s identity is not limited to being a developed city, but is equally defined by its natural beauty, greenery and clean environment.
He said that maintaining ecological balance amid rapid urban development is the need of the hour.
“Planting a sapling is only the first step. Protecting it and ensuring its care until it grows into a tree is the real responsibility,” Tiwari said.
He added that this approach has led to arrangements for fencing and two years of maintenance of the plants at the Raipur Army Firing Range.
Tiwari stressed that environmental protection is not the responsibility of any single department but a collective responsibility. He said that development plans must move forward while taking nature and greenery along, as this will lay a strong foundation for the Dehradun of the future.
“Conservation is Essential for the Success of Plantation Drives”
MDDA Secretary Mohan Singh Barnia said the authority is giving equal priority to plantation, protection and maintenance of saplings.
He said iron fencing has been installed at the Raipur Army Firing Range and arrangements have been made for regular maintenance for two years. This will provide a protected environment for the saplings and support their healthy growth.
He said MDDA’s initiative sends a clear message that urban development can be truly meaningful only when the city’s green cover grows alongside it.
