Not Just Tree Plantation — PCMC Trains Staff to Sustain City’s 48% Green Cover with Science and Accountability
Pimpri, 8th August 2025: In a major step to strengthen garden maintenance and enhance green infrastructure across the city, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) organised a day-long training workshop for its garden department staff, contractors, and allied teams on Wednesday, August 6. Held at the Auto Cluster auditorium, the session was inaugurated by Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh, who emphasised the need to adopt newer techniques in tree plantation and sustainable landscaping to create a greener and smarter urban environment.
“With nearly 48% green cover in Pimpri Chinchwad, the focus now must shift to the quality and longevity of plantation efforts. It is no longer enough to just plant trees — we must know the soil type, the right planting techniques, watering needs, and post-plantation care. Equally important is ensuring these skills are standardised across all teams,” said Commissioner Singh. He also called for similar training sessions to be conducted every quarter and stressed the importance of expanding green cover in fast-developing areas like Wakad, Punawale, and Tathawade.
The workshop witnessed participation from over 130 attendees, including 60 PCMC staff from the Garden Department (supervisors, superintendents, and contractual workers), 60 contractors and their teams, and officials from other departments like civil and electrical.
Conceived under the guidance of Commissioner Shekhar Singh and Additional Commissioner Pradip Jambhale Patil, the workshop was aimed at aligning all stakeholders with PCMC’s green vision. The training was especially crucial to ensure digital readiness and operational consistency among on-ground teams.
Key Training Modules Covered:
Horticulture and Landscaping: Sessions by expert Rohidas Ghodekar focused on plant and lawn care, landscape management, and the principles of professional garden upkeep.
Arboriculture: Specialist Vivek Rane conducted both classroom and field-based sessions on pruning, soil health, plant propagation, and dealing with seasonal changes and plant diseases.
Sustainable Practices: The Oikos team led a session on eco-friendly garden practices, including composting, use of native species, and water conservation.
Digital Enablement: The Daksh App team trained participants on geo-tagging, tracking KPIs, and using mobile tools for transparent reporting and accountability.
Focus on Preventing Illegal Tree Cutting
Commissioner Singh also addressed concerns about illegal tree cutting, noting that this is one of the most common complaints received by the civic body. He instructed the Garden Department to put in place robust preventive systems and to make the application process for tree cutting permissions fully online through the Tree Authority. “Let us make Pimpri Chinchwad a city that is known for protecting its trees, not felling them,” he urged.
Chief Garden Superintendent Mahesh Gargote, in his welcome address, highlighted that the initiative reflects the administration’s commitment to marrying ecological responsibility with efficient service delivery. The training was met with enthusiastic participation from civic staff, contractors, green NGOs, and environment enthusiasts.
