Barmer, Dec. 31 -- A 66-hectare stretch in Barmer is being transformed into a vast green space under a major urban greening initiative by the Forest Department, officials said. The department has developed the area into a 'City Lung' by clearing invasive vegetation and planting more than 30,000 saplings, aiming to improve air quality, expand green cover, and offer residents relief from congestion. Deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Barmer, Savita Dahiya, said the City Lung has been conceived as a long-term ecological asset for the city. "Our objective is not just plantation, but creating a healthy environment where citizens can breathe cleaner air and reconnect with nature within the urban landscape," she said, adding that the green zone would help stabilise Barmer's fragile ecology. According to the Forest Department, the 66-hectare site lies between several densely populated localities of Barmer. Babool trees were removed from about 41 hectares to facilitate systematic plantation and landscaping. So far, 30,540 saplings of various species have been planted, while work continues in the remaining area. Dahiya said the project has been implemented in phases under plantation schemes between 2019 and 2023, and again during 2024-25. Between 2019 and 2023, plantation work covered 26.5 hectares, with nearly 13,900 saplings planted. In the current phase (2024-25), around 16,640 saplings have been planted over 24.5 hectares. "Plantation work has been completed on about 51 hectares of the total land, and efforts are on to green the remaining 15 hectares," she said. To increase public utility, the department is developing a 1.25-kilometre walking track to encourage residents to use the City Lung for morning and evening walks....