Berhampur: The rapid growth of high rises in urban areas has sparked concern among the city planners as these are eating into the green cover and making it hard for the city dwellers to live a stress free life.
Expressing concern over the development, the Berhampur forest division has planned to build 11 small natural parks in and around this city to provide fresh air to the denizens, a report said Sunday.
These parks with all the looks of a forest will have necessary provisions for amusement, pavement for people to walk and drinking water facilities. The move has been welcomed by the residents.
These parks will help the city dwellers take time out from their busy schedule and spend some time in the lap of nature. These parks have been named ‘oxygen parks’ for which land has been identified. The department will start work on these projects once the identified land is handed over to it by the revenue department.
Ganjam district is witnessing a sharp rise in population. The rise in population has also seen a corresponding rise in the number of vehicles on roads which are being widened by cutting down trees. This has severely affected the environment and has led to an increase in pollution.
Under such circumstances, people would want to live in a natural surrounding free of pollution. However, lack of such provisions in and around the city forces many to travel to distant tourist spots to spend quality time in natural surroundings. Those who do not have the means to visit tourist spots have to live in the polluted environment.
Realising the need of the denizens, the forest department has decided to construct 11 natural parks under Berhampur, Digapahandi, Samantiapalli and Khallikote forest ranges. Nine places – Narayani, Khallikote, Rambha, Purunabandh, Purussotampur, Gopalpur, Hinjilicut, Ghodahada dam and Baghalati dam have been finalised while the identification of two more places is on the final stage.
DFO Ashis Behera said the parks will be constructed over 10-15 hectares of land near human settlements which will help people to visit the parks conveniently.
PNN
