Mangaluru : The city has scope for planting saplings in available open spaces. It is advisable to avoid planting saplings of trees on the roadside due to logistical issues, said P. Sridhar, Range Forest Officer, Mangaluru, here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a consultative meeting on greening Mangaluru under the Smart City Mission, he said that the Forest Department had distributed 60,000 saplings in the city and its outskirts in June.

He said that when saplings of large and fruit-bearing trees are planted on the roadside, they led to many logistical issues in view of development activities.

Hence, mini lung spaces could be created all over the city by planting such trees in open places. Short and flowering plants can be planted on the roadside.

He said that the city now had about 14 % green cover.

Jeeth Milan Roche and Madhava Ullal, activists who have dedicated themselves to greening the city, said that one should have dedication to nurture and protect the saplings once planted. Mr. Ullal suggested that saplings of such trees that shred less leaves and those that bore fruits should be planted. Mr. Roche, Peter Paul Saldanha, Mangaluru Bishop, Swami Ekagamyananda of Ramakrishna Mission, and others spoke.

Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. organised the meeting.