LUCKNOW, June 6 -- With a view to combating air pollution, nearly 1.5 lakh saplings will be planted around industrial units, malls, and residential projects across the state capital. These green buffers are intended to function as "lungs" for the city, especially in high-pollution zones, officials said.

According to JP Maurya, regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Lucknow, the target for the city is 1,49,000 saplings. These will be planted around 15 major industrial and commercial entities, including factories in the automobile, dairy, pesticide, biomedical, and torch manufacturing sectors, as well as some shopping malls and housing projects.

Each entity has been assigned specific plantation targets, and the...