“UoP mulls massive plantation drive in affiliated colleges”

The inspiration for this move stemsfromtheUoPBoardofStudents Welfare’s (BSF) successful implementationofapilotprojectinwhichmore than 1,000 saplings were planted on the UoP campus using drip irrigation -a water saving mechanism.
With the success of the initiative, the UoP now plans to take it across more than 650 affiliated colleges in Pune, Nashik and Ahmednagar.
In February, the BSF had formulated the idea of using drip irrigation – makinguseofdiscardedsalinebottles from city hospitals — as a preventive step in saving water during critical drought conditions.
“We have called a meeting of representativesfromalltheaffiliatedcollegestodiscussaworkabledeadlineto conduct tree and plantation audits on their campuses. Once the exact number of existing trees is in place, we will be able to envisage a plan for each college. Factors like college acreage, plantation options, maintenance and budgets will have to be deliberated upon,” said Dr Pandit Shelke, director, BSF.
Shelke added, “So far, we did not emphasise the need for audits. However,withsuchanambitiousplan,we will make sure that from this year the audits are implemented and submitted with greater importance.”
For the pilot project, the UoP had selected 90 students from its earn and learn scheme to plant the saplings. The Pune Municipal Corporation had donated the 1,000 saplings to the UoP.
Now, the UoP will take the help of morethan50,000students,currently enrolled under its earn and learn scheme, across different colleges for the massive campaign.
“These students will be assigned the responsibility of plantation, maintenance and incorporation of the drip irrigation exercise. While students would earn money through this, the varsity would accomplish its plan,” said Dr WN Gade, vice chancellor, UoP.
The meeting of college representatives would be held next week followed by another meeting in the first week of July to finalise budget, maintenance and arrangement of discarded saline bottles. 

    Hailing the move, Dr Chandrakant Rawal, Principal, Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC), said, “We are in the process of numbering and auditing the plantation on campus. We also plan on planting 300 more trees. UoP’s initiative of drip irrigation would certainly spell a welcome change.”