Siddharthanagar mayor planting trees equal to votes he received

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT Bhairahawa, July 7: Mayor of Siddarthanagar Municipality Ishtiyak Khan has started the campaign to plant trees equal to the number of votes he had received in the local level election. 

While taking oath Mayor Khan had committed to plant trees equal to the 9,134 votes that he received in the May 13 local election. 

The campaign took off from Belahiya from where the highest number of tourists enter the city. On Monday, the first day of campaign, 350 saplings of Birendra flower, Rajbriksha (Cassia Fistula), and Camphor tree were planted along the Siddartha Highway. 

Municipality had informed that the campaign would be continued in different areas of the municipality. It had aimed to plant trees on the side of roads due to lack of public land in the municipality. 

Mayor Khan said that the campaign was carried out to make the city green, pristine and tourist friendly. He added that he would continue plantation during his tenure. He informed that they had started the campaign to plant 9,132 saplings at present. After that 32,000 and 74,000 saplings would be planted until the city is developed as the city of greenery and flowers, said Mayor Khan. 

Though locals had appreciated the campaign they complained that the campaign was brought without planning. They seem to be worried about the conservation of the plants. Stating that the municipality came up without proper planning, local leader Ishwori Khadka urged the locals to take care of the plants nearby there residence. 

Deputy Mayor of Siddarthanagar Municipality Uma Adhikari said that the municipality would look after the plants. She informed that the municipality would water the plants in the morning and evening and had urged the locals to take care of the plants. She also added that the municipality came up with the plan for the campaigning. 

Chief administrative officer of the municipality Tulsi Ram Marasini said that the municipality had made plans and started the campaign in the municipality. The campaign was started according to the decision made by 11th assembly to make the city green, clean and environment friendly, he said.