• Source:JND
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Mahakumbh Mela 2025: To provide clean air and a healthy atmosphere for the millions of devotees who are anticipated to attend the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the government of Uttar Pradesh has taken a major step towards environmental sustainability by establishing dense forests. The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has been establishing oxygen banks throughout the city for the past two years using the Japanese "Miyawaki technique," according to the Ministry of Culture.

According to the statement, these initiatives have produced flourishing green areas that improve the city's greenery while also enhancing ecological balance and air quality.

Prayagraj Municipal Corporation Commissioner Chandra Mohan Garg emphasised that the corporation has planted trees at more than ten locations, totaling 55,800 square metres.

The largest forest, with over 1.2 lakh trees from 63 species, has been planted in the Naini industrial region. Another significant plantation, comprising of 27,000 trees from 27 species, has transformed the Baswar garbage dumping yard into a lush landscape. This effort not only handles industrial waste management, but it also minimises dust and odours while improving municipal air quality, Garg explained.

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According to experts, the Miyawaki approach encourages rapid forest growth, which helps to moderate temperature differences between day and night throughout the summer. These dense forests have many advantages, including lowering air and water pollution, avoiding soil erosion, promoting biodiversity, and improving soil fertility. They also serve as shelters for birds and animals, decreasing the ambient temperature by 4 to 7°C, reported IndiaTV News.

The project includes a wide variety of species, including fruit-bearing, medicinal, and attractive plants. Mango, mahua, neem, peepal, tamarind, teak, and amla are the most commonly planted plants. The effort includes medicinal and attractive plants including hibiscus, kadamba, gulmohar, bougainvillaea, and Brahmi. Other trees include bamboo, kaner, mahogany, kachnar, and drumstick, which add to the city's green cover.

What Is Miyawaki Technique?

The Miyawaki Method, invented by renowned Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s, is a groundbreaking way for growing dense forests in small spaces. The 'pot plantation method' includes planting trees and bushes close together to stimulate their growth. This approach allows plants to develop ten times faster, making it a feasible alternative for metropolitan environments. This strategy resembles natural forests by planting a dense mix of native species.

It improves soil quality, increases biodiversity, and speeds up forest development. Trees planted with the Miyawaki technique absorb more carbon, develop faster, and support greater biodiversity than traditional forests.