In a bid to reduce pollution and its impact in Lucknow along with increasing the city's green cover, LMC plans to convert several vacant land areas into parks and playgrounds. As per reports, a special drive will be conducted till May 25 to identify barren, green-belt along with pasture lands in Lucknow and index them for a proposal, to be presented before the state. A targeted programme of geo-tagging these parks will also be undertaken, once the plan is approved.

Going by reports, the plan of developing these parks is a state project. The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to install green, open spaces in all municipal areas, against pollution. In line with this, Principal Secretary, Urban Development, Amrit Abhijat has instructed All DMs, Municipal Commissioners and executive officers to prepare a list of land that can be included for this project.

Notably, the state has accounted for factors such as AQI (Air Quality Index) and environmental standards of cities to allocate funds of the 15th Finance Commission, released for urbanisation of municipal limits. This budget will be used to scientifically develop the vacant spaces in areas, complete with sports grounds, green cover and open spaces.

According to the government, the project will further follow a graded selection approach to to mark land in urban areas. All semi-developed and underdeveloped parks will be integrated in the first phase, while barren, vacant, pasture and government land will be included next. Directives are also in order to remove encroachments on these marked lands, by running prompt campaigns.

Meanwhile all local bodies in Uttar Pradesh, including the Lucknow Municipal Corporation have been instructed to conduct tree plantation drives with the arrival of monsoon season. The plan is to promote the plantation of fruit-bearing, shady and ornamental plants. The land or green belt for this project should be marked now, ahead of the plantation launch, orders clarified.

Besides, a plan to set up theme parks, open gyms and vertical garden is also in full swing at Lucknow, Kanpur and other urban districts in the state.