Trees in Bengal municipality get identity cards

A West Bengal suburb has probably become India's first municipality to assign identity cards to trees in a move that that will help educate people about significance of going green in the wake of climate change, according to an official.

As many as 28 species of trees were mapped for their ability to sequester carbon dioxide in Hooghly district's Konnagar.

Following this, around 3,000 trees belonging to these species were issued Id cards that display the common name, scientific name, the geographical location and the amount of carbon dioxide they can absorb.

"The identity cards are hung on the trees. This way the children will develop an understanding about the importance of each variety. We will extend this to as many trees as possible," Konnangar municipality chairman Bappaditya Chatterjee told IANS.

Scientist Abhijit Mitra is leading the project which will be extended to map other species. Some of the common species in the area are 'neem', 'krishnachuda' and 'peepal', said Chatterjee.

Chatterjee claimed this is the first such venture in India and informed a database is being created on these trees which will be uploaded online soon.