NMMC Launches 'Green Ward' Competition

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has announced a citywide 'Green Ward' competition to encourage citizen participation in environmental conservation.

The competition aims to transform the city's eight administrative wards into greener, cleaner, and more aesthetically appealing areas.

Navi Mumbai has been ranked second among environment-friendly cities in Maharashtra under the state government's Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan.

The competition, which will run from August 2026 to March 31, 2027, will focus on increasing green cover, improving parks and open spaces, beautifying road medians and junctions, and promoting biodiversity.

Municipal ward officers and tree officers will supervise the implementation of various initiatives in their respective wards.

The NMMC has laid down 14 criteria for evaluation, including innovative landscaping of gardens, plantation of native and plant-based species to control pollution, and beautification of parks, roads, and open spaces.

Citizen and student participation will also be an important component, with wards encouraged to involve school students in tree conservation activities and undertake environmental awareness programmes.

Initiatives through corporate social responsibility (CSR) to increase green areas will also be considered.

The competition will assess the quality of routine garden maintenance, speedy disposal of online complaints, and efforts to save trees affected by private and public development projects.

Each ward will be required to prepare a 'Green Profile' or baseline data at the beginning of the competition, documenting existing environmental conditions and tracking activities such as plantation, beautification, and public participation.

The civic body has also mandated photographic documentation of innovative works, including 'before' and 'after' photographs, with Google Map-based photographic evidence where required.

The final assessment will be conducted during the last 15 days of the competition.

An evaluation committee headed by the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Gardens) will conduct the assessment.

The 'Green Ward' competition is a significant initiative to promote environmental conservation and citizen participation in Navi Mumbai.

It is expected to have a positive impact on the city's environment and encourage other cities to follow suit.

The competition is also a step towards achieving the state government's goal of making Maharashtra a greener and more environment-friendly state.