As part of Swachhata Campaign 4.0 and Swachhata Hi Seva 2024, Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) launched a mega plantation drive under the theme ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ at multiple locations across the undivided Visakhapatnam district. The port actively involved the local community in environmental conservation and set an ambitious target of planting 1 million saplings over the next three years.
To ensure proper coordination, it was decided that a review meeting would be held every Thursday under the guidance of the district collector’s office.
The responsibility of overseeing the maintenance of these saplings was assigned to the District Water Management Agency (DWMA).
Under the Green Visakha Mission, one million saplings will be planted in a phased manner. In the first phase, by March 2025, VPA will provide 3.5 lakh saplings, which will be distributed to GVMC, VMRDA, the forest department, industries, schools, colleges, and NGOs based on their requirements.
In the second phase, 2025-26, another 3.5 lakh saplings will be provided, and in the final phase, 2026-27, the remaining saplings will be prepared and distributed, ensuring the completion of the mission within three years.
As part of this initiative, VPA already planted 21,000 saplings in various agency schools and, in collaboration with NGOs, 50,000 saplings in and around the city. The plantation includes fruit-bearing species like mango, sapota, custard apple, coconut, and tamarind, along with forest species such as neem, almond, kadamba, Delonix, and mahogany.