New Delhi: IGNOU has decided to embark on a massive 'green exercise' by converting its huge campus on the outskirts of the capital into a green zone.

Named 'Green IGNOU', the exercise will involve converting the rocky terrains inside the campus, the slopes, barren patches in the vast campus into a green foliage with avenue trees stooping over vegetation cover.

Coinciding with the World Environment Day, the project was launched today.

IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V N Rajasekharan Pillai said, 'We are looking at massive plantation of trees, avenue trees, extensive horticulture and others within the campus. It is a two-year project in which 80 per cent of the area in the university will be turned green.'

As of now, only 20 per cent of the university campus is built-up area. Under the project, the university will undertake massive plantation drive, landscaping and development of avenue trees for dense foliage all over in the next two years.

'We will also take consultancy from Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Agriculture, particularly from the horticulture department, and others as and when necessary,' said another faculty of the university.