The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday received a pat on its back from the Consul general of Japan in Mumbai for its green initiatives, especially creating urban forests using the Japanese Miyawaki method.
The Consul general of Japan in Mumbai, Dr Fukahori Yasukata visited the Colaba Woods garden at BMC’s invitation and examined the Miyawaki urban forest and the rainwater harvesting percolation pits. Additional Commissioner (Eastern suburbs) Ashwini Bhide, President of Indo Japanese Association, Mumbai, Mehool N Bhuva and Superintendent of Gardens Jitendra Pardeshi were present at the occasion.
Later, Dr Yasukata invited Pardeshi to the Japanese consulate and presented a formal letter of appreciation, praising BMC’s environmental conservation efforts. He applauded the BMC’s effort to increase the number of rainwater harvesting percolation pits up to 6,000 pits to store rainwater.
Complimenting the urban forest initiative to plant three lakh trees using the technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, Dr Yasukata said the technique is a scientific method of improving the soil quality and creating a carbon sink to help combat climate change.
“Appreciating the efforts of the civic body, Dr Yasukata also offered to jointly organize bonsai and ikebana exhibitions in Mumbai in the future,” an official said.
Two years ago, the BMC had embarked on the project to create urban forests at 64 locations by planting more than four lakh trees. Out of these, over 2.5 lakh trees have been planted at 45 locations and the project is ongoing presently.
