Puducherry:  The Pondicherry University would soon get documentation ready on the fauna and flora of the campus, in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund for Nature and Natural Resources, as part of efforts to preserve its biodiversity.

University Vice Chancellor, Prof J A K Tareen announced this today while planting saplings to set in motion a massive tree plantation programme on the campus.

The Department of Horticulture has come out with a plan to plant 2200 saplings of 36 different species on 24 acres to make the university still greener. He said a large number of trees have been cut as there was a demand for more infrastructure after admission of a large number of students. This was in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling, which stated that saplings hould be planted under compensatory afforestation programme. For every one tree cut five saplings should be planted.

He said the university also planned to ensure use of only non polluting and eco-friendly vehicles including bicycles in the campus. Fifty yellow coloured bicycles would be flagged off. In the next few days, Lt Governor Iqbal Singh and Chief Minister V Vaithilingam would set in motion the vehicles.

Dr A Balasubramanian, Director of Social Sciences and Culture, said a biodiversity map of the university would be released soon.