'Need Different System To Specialize In Plantation': Gadkari Regrets Lack Of Green Near Highways

He highlighted that this was the time when policies needed to be changed, and added there will be a different agency or different system which is specialised in plantation and transplantation. 

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New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed his displeasure at NHAI for not being able to make national highways greener on Wednesday. He said not even a single highway road is perfect as far as green plantation is concerned.

 While addressing a virtual event organised by IIT Tirupati, the minister also wondered how can an expert on road construction also be an expert on tree plantation.

"Mr Pandey is there, I am seeing all national highway roads. He cannot show me a single road where good plantation is there; where good species are there. Totally negligent," Gadkari was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Nitin Gadkari had launched a mobile app 'Harit Path' to monitor the plantation along the national highways. "Already in contract, there is a plantation provision... I am confident as a minister with my verification, not a single road is a perfect as far green plantation is concerned," Gadkari said.

According to the report, Gadkari urged National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to engage experts for plantation of trees along the national highways in a bid to promote green highways policy. He expressed his regret that good plantation work was not being undertaken along the highways, he said, "We need to take the help of people who are experts on plantation and and transplantation of trees," according to PTI.

He further highlighted that this was the time when policies needed to be changed, and added there will be a different agency or different system which is specialised in plantation and transplantation. 

"That is important for the development of green highways. This is needed for the ecology and environment of the country," he added according to PTI.

He called for innovative ideas, then said the the bureaucratic system does not want to accept new innovative systems. Gadkari further slammed the cement and road industry for indulging in cartelisation and exploiting people and suggested the use of CNG (compressed natural gas), bio-CNG or LNG (liquefied natural gas) instead. He also said that the government can reduce the cost of road construction by allowing people to import bitumen.