Rourkela Steel Plant proves best in Steel as well as flora

Rourkela: Steel and flora, the combination may sound strange to many but their juxtaposition in Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) presents a picturesque sight truly worth beholding. Normally a mention of a Steel Plant would conjure up visions of heat, dust, pollution and barren lands, where even greenery would be more an exception than a rule, what to talk of flowers.  But in RSP, where devotion to nature coexists with the worship of industry, nature has found a place to bloom, blossom and flower.

Myriad flowers of striking hues and vibrant colours from the palette of nature blooming in front of different Departments present a real feast for the eyes and offer succour for the soul. Although, rose is the hot favourite, seasonal flowers like dahlia, marigold and chrysanthemum also adorn these lovingly nurtured gardens. While some gardens are maintained by the Horticulture Unit, there are many other gardens which are looked after by the employees. In spite of their busy schedule, these employees take time out to nurture nature. The avenue plantation inside the steel plant, adds to the beauty manifold.

To further promote the development of gardens inside the steel plant, a fresh initiative ‘Paryavaran Chakra’ was launched by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the plant, G S Prasad on December 31, 2012. Under this scheme, the nature loving employees are being invited to come forward and be part of a team that will create a garden in the unused land inside the Steel Plant under the project ‘Amara Bagicha’. 49 teams of employees have enthusiastically come forward to create gardens in these lands inside it. 

The picturesque steel city of Rourkela on the other hand presents a visage of greenery that will be the envy of many a garden city. The area that was once a patch of dry land has been transformed to a verdant paradise through sustained afforestation and tree plantation programmes organised by Rourkela Steel Plant.

RSP, working consistently towards making Rourkela a sylvan city, has so far planted more than 41.50 lakh trees in the township as well as inside the Plant creating a huge canopy of green over about 2000 acres of land. Every year massive plantation drives are being taken up to further intensify the green cover. 26,000 saplings have been planted in about 32.5 acres of land in the township with the help of the State Government, students and the general public in the current fiscal.

In addition to the usual plantations, a special drive was recently made to develop medicinal plant gardens in the township. Besides, an ‘Ispat Baunsha Udayan’ has been developed behind Rourkela House, in which only bamboo saplings have been planted.

RSP maintains two central nurseries and a large number of parks and gardens. The Green Park, a forest park spread over 225 acres, has got more than 2.25 lakhs of plants. It also has an integrated nursery where over 50,000 seedlings are readily available to cater to the requirement for plantation at different sites. Plantation blocks like Green Meadows with 84,000 trees, Green Valley with 66,000 plants, Lagoon Park with 27,000 trees and several others have made the steel city truly a green city.