The Chief Minister's Office of Gujarat announced on Tuesday, 16 June 2026 that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated a Miyawaki forest, Namo Vad Van, and a Green Oxygen Park at the GNFC Township in Bharuch, spanning 2,200 square metres and housing over 1 lakh trees across 92 different species.

Context

The CMO Gujarat post, written in Gujarati, states: 'મુખ્યમંત્રી શ્રી ભૂપેન્દ્રભાઈ પટેલના વરદ્હસ્તે ભરૂચ સ્થિત GNFC ટાઉનશિપ ખાતે... મિયાવાકી ફોરેસ્ટ, નમો વડ વન તથા ગ્રીન ઓક્સિજન પાર્કનું લોકાર્પણ કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું' — meaning 'Under the auspices of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Miyawaki Forest, Namo Vad Van, and Green Oxygen Park were inaugurated at the GNFC Township in Bharuch.' The green space was developed by GNFC Ltd — Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited — a state public sector undertaking based in Bharuch.

The post further notes that the Miyawaki forest was developed using the scientifically proven Miyawaki method, described as being in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's net-zero carbon policy and environmental conservation vision.

Policy Backdrop

The Miyawaki method is a Japanese-origin dense afforestation technique that enables rapid creation of urban forests using native species, producing canopy cover in a fraction of the time required by conventional plantation drives. Indian states and public sector enterprises have increasingly adopted this approach since the mid-2010s to accelerate urban green cover and meet national environmental targets.

India committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 under the Panchamrit framework announced at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. The updated Nationally Determined Contributions submitted to the UNFCCC emphasise nature-based solutions, particularly around industrial clusters — making GNFC's township forest a direct operational expression of that national policy direction. Gujarat has also maintained a State Action Plan on Climate Change since 2014, promoting urban forestry and green belts around industrial zones.

Stakeholders and Impact

Residents of the GNFC Township and the broader Bharuch district stand to benefit most immediately, gaining access to a dense green space within an otherwise heavily industrialised corridor. The three components — the Miyawaki Forest, Namo Vad Van, and the Green Oxygen Park — together offer ecological as well as recreational value to the industrial township's population.

For GNFC Ltd, the project marks a significant corporate social responsibility milestone, demonstrating how state-owned enterprises can integrate environmental commitments into their physical footprint. The use of 92 species of trees is intended to support biodiversity alongside carbon sequestration, offering a model that other Gujarat public sector units could replicate.

What's Next

The inauguration is likely to prompt scrutiny of tree survival rates and measurable carbon sequestration outcomes at future state environment reviews. The Gujarat government's broader pattern suggests similar Miyawaki projects may be extended to other public sector unit townships across the state.

As India approaches mid-decade climate reporting cycles, green initiatives by state PSUs will increasingly be cited in national progress reports to the UNFCCC — giving projects like this one at Bharuch significance beyond their immediate local footprint.