In a bid to upgrade Lucknow as a natural oxygen hub, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has joined hands with the scientists at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) to plant oxygen-rich trees, across the city parks. As per reports, the CSIR and NBRI Director S.K Barik has promised support and assistance to realise this agenda. This initiative will also propel the municipal body’s green vision to develop and modify about 900 parks in the city.
Lucknow to soon leap towards greener parks
The NBRI director has told the Lucknow Mayor, Sanyukta Bhatia, about the benefits of peepal, banayan and pakad trees. While all these trees have advantageous resistance over earthquakes, the banyan’s capability to hold water is an added blessing, Barik informed.
He further took this opportunity to detail the assets of the banyan tree on the NBRI premises.”The banyan tree inside NBRI campus is also a witness to the War of Independence, as martyr Uda Devi took on the British forces, climbing on this tree. This banyan tree has been given heritage status by the State Biodiversity Board. Many people were martyred in the struggle with the British here.”
The banyan tree is among the best shade-giving trees in the world, elaborated Pankaj Srivastava, principal scientist, NBRI. It has several medicinal benefits, where its juice can be used as an anti-biotic for open wounds and as a relief medicine for joint pain and arthritis. The scientist listed that “The fruit of the banyan tree is used to make medicine for ulcers. Besides that, it also produces a good volume of oxygen.”
The Head of the NBRI Park, SK Tiwari lauded the mayor’s vision of a green Lucknow as he acknowledged her method of preparing the plants. Parallelly, the Mayor said the LMC would be happy to know about the highest oxygen producing trees which could be planted in city parks.
