VARANASI, June 28 -- The Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) executive committee, chaired by mayor Ashok Tiwari on Saturday, directed that all hospitals in the city, large or small, must submit birth and death notifications within eight hours. Under this mandate, in the case of a birth, private hospitals are required to provide the VNN with specific details via an online portal, including the parents' names, photographs, photocopies of Aadhaar cards, and a photograph of the child. The committee issued this directive after senior corporator Hanuman Prasad raised concerns regarding excessive delays in the issuance of birth and death certificates. The new system is designed to expedite the process, sparing the public from making repeated visits to zonal offices or the headquarters. Notably, over 150 hospitals in the city already possess the facility to issue birth certificates directly. Deputy chairman Narsingh Das presented a major proposal reaffirming his commitment to making Kashi greener and ensuring environmental conservation. He suggested that a massive, intensive tree plantation drive be launched along the Ring Road and highways within municipal limits, as well as on vacant land within the campuses of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW/BLW), and other major colleges. He proposed planting various species of traditional shade trees such as Neem, Pakad and Peepal at 100-metre intervals along the highways to enhance the beauty of the city. Welcoming this proposal, the executive committee agreed to launch a city-wide plantation drive starting July 15 under the Prime Minister's "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" (A Tree in Mother's Name) initiative. This year, the VNN has set an ambitious target of planting 25,000 saplings, complete with tree guards for protection....