Thursday, May 1, 2008

A greener city with 60,000 trees - The Star

May 1, 2008

A total of 60,000 trees will be planted in Kuala Lumpur this year to make the city a greener place.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan said it was part of efforts to make Kuala Lumpur the Eternal Tropical City (Bandaraya Tropika Lestari) by 2020 and the Kuala Lumpur Greening Programme launched in the 1970s.

The large-scale tree-planting programme would involve 40 main roads and 40 open areas in Kuala Lumpur.

The programme would be carried out in four phases, from April.

About 15,000 trees will be planted each phase, which spans over three months. The first phase involves Jalan Parlimen, Jalan Imbi, Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Duta among others.

Hakim said RM5mil had been allocated for the programme this year.

“The programme is in tandem with the Cabinet's decision to encourage tree planting in major cities, and to increase public awareness on the importance of tree canopies to maintain a high percentage of green in the cities,” he said.

He added that many trees in the city had been found to be unsuitable as they broke drains and road kerbs and such trees would be replaced from time to time.

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