Laxmi Nagar Zone of the Nagpur Municipal Cooperation (NMC), once among the city’s better-performing green zones, has fallen to the bottom three among ten zones in terms of Biodiversity and Green Open Spaces. This change is noticeable in the latest Environment Status Report (ESR), annually prepared by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). The report presents an assessment of city’s overall environment scenario. This year, the ESR 2024-2025 was released. From above-average to ‘low’ category In the 2023-24 ESR, released in 2025, Laxmi Nagar had emerged as one of the better-performing zones in the city.

 

As per the 3-30-300 rule, 83.2 per cent of residents could see at least three trees from their homes, the zone had a tree canopy cover of 24.15 per cent, not far from the recommended 30 per cent benchmark, and 81.6 per cent residents had access to an urban green space within 300 metres. It was considered among the more developed green zones after Dharampeth. However, the latest ESR places Laxmi Nagar in the ‘low’ category alongside Hanuman Nagar and Ashi Nagar, both of which had performed poorly in the previous report. The new classification is based on an average of the 3-30-300 rule, and combines all three aspects, which makes it difficult to discern where exactly the administration has gone wrong. As per the latest data, only 58 per cent of residents across the three zones can see three or more trees, the average canopy cover has dropped to 7 per cent, and nearly 81 per cent of residents lack access to a green space within 300 metres. No clear basis for comparison The data in the latest ESR does not allow direct comparison with previous findings as it simply gives combined averages and broad classifications.

 

The earlier report provided zone-specific, quantifiable data. This has made it impossible to determine what metrics have changed. While the ESR mentions that its findings are based on face-to-face surveys, and include both publicly accessible urban green spaces and overall vegetation cover, no zone-wise data has been provided to support these conclusions. Concerned officials from (NEERI), did not respond to queries despite repeated attempts to contact them over the last three days. NMC alleges no major tree loss Amol Chaurpagar, Garden Superintendent, Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC), stated, “No major infrastructure or road-widening projects were undertaken in Laxmi Nagar that would have led to large-scale tree cutting.

 

As per our data, 976 trees were legally permitted to be felled across the entire city in 2024-25. Some trees were felled illegally too, but the number was small. We don’t know where this drastic shift in data has come from.” Report raises more questions than answers Anasuya Kale Chhabrani, President, Swacch Association, stated, “The lack of clarity undermines the very purpose of the ESR. The report is intended to function as both a planning tool for civic authorities and a transparency mechanism for citizens. Without clear data, it becomes difficult for citizens to hold authorities accountable for lack of progress.” She also added that the data in the latest report is nearly two years old, though it is released in April 2026, and Laxmi Nagar has undergone significant infrastructure development during this time, so the current status may be worse now.