GREATER NOIDA, July 2 -- The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration is planning to plant over 200,000 saplings this monsoon, as urban spaces grapple with rising pollution and shrinking green cover, officials said on Tuesday. "While the Uttar Pradesh government initially assigned the Greater Noida region a target of 125,000 saplings, we have increased that to nearly 200,000, in a move aimed at addressing climate resilience and improving urban air quality,"said Greater Noida authority chief executive officer (CEO) NG Ravi. "The revised target includes not just large saplings but also native shrubs, to support biodiversity and ensure long-term survival of plantations," the CEO added. Additional chief executive officer Shrilakshmi VS emphasised that sustainable greenery cannot thrive through government action alone, so the RWAs, NGOs, village groups, and civil society organisations will be invited to adopt green belts and assist in maintenance. Officials confirmed that two local resident bodies - Central Vihar Society and Floriculture Society- have volunteered to maintain green belts near their societies. Both have been granted permission for site visits and planning, they added. Another proposal, officials informed, came from the IIPPT college in Knowledge Park 3, Greater Noida which has committed to planting 25,000 trees on a 10-acre plot along with long-term maintenance. "These efforts underscore the growing recognition that environmental stewardship must be a collective responsibility. Greening our city is not just the job of authorities concerned but every citizen, who should plant at least one sapling and care for it. Even growing potted plants on balconies can contribute to cleaner air," the CEO added. To coordinate efforts, DGM (horticulture) Sanjay Kumar Jain and assistant director Buddh Vilas have been appointed as nodal officers for the campaign, officials aware of the development said. The residents have been urged by the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration to actively participate in the plantation drive, emphasising that lasting environmental change can only be achieved through collective responsibility, the officials added....