MUDA to expand the amount of green space in Mangaluru to 33%

MANGALURU: In the next 18 months, the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) wants to increase the city’s green cover to 33%. Ravishankar Mijar, Chairman, MUDA, speaking at the inauguration of Vivekananda Vrukshalaya on the Ramakrishna Mutt grounds here, said that the city currently has a green cover of 23%. By the end of his term, in another 18 months, the organisation plans to increase green cover by 10%, bringing it up to the national average of 33%.

MUDA has proposed establishing tree parks in 83 locations throughout the city. Miyawaki Forest has been proposed at ten locations by the administration. According to Mijar, in another 15 days, the administration will begin greening the median between Lady Hill Circle and Kottara Chowki. MUDA has expressed interest in developing Kadri Park, Deer Park, and the Skating Rink, which will boost foot traffic in the city’s three primary green spaces. According to him, it has proposed to Mangaluru Smart City Limited to boost green cover in eight city wards.

According to Prashant Pai, Range Forest Officer, the agency has identified 52 unoccupied sites in the city that can be converted to green areas. Tulasi Gowda, a Padma Shri award-winning environmentalist, has previously opened the Vivekananda Vrushalaya in Miyakawi Forest. This is the second Miyakawi Forest on the mutt premises.