Chandigarh, July 12 -- The municipal corporation (MC), the single largest contributor to Chandigarh's plantation drive, is also among its weakest performers in keeping saplings alive.

Data from the Green Chandigarh Action Plan (GCAP) 2026-27 shows that the MC planted over 1.5 lakh saplings - the highest among all departments - but recorded only 70% survival by March 2026, meaning 30% - which accounts for tens of thousands of trees - failed to survive within months of being planted.

The numbers also reveal a worrying pattern. The city's overall plantation survival rate fell from 85% in November 2025 to 79% in March 2026, indicating that the city lost a significant share of its saplings in just one season. In absolute terms, of the 4.91 l...