3 lakh saplings planted by Delhi govt in day-long drive

HT had reported how a number of saplings were planted at Garhi Mandu with their plastic pouches still wrapped around them.

More than three lakh tree saplings and shrubs were planted across 1,300 locations in Delhi on Friday as part of the state government’s one-day mass plantation drive on Friday.

Delhi environment minister Kailash Gahlot started the mass drive from Issapur village, near Najafgarh in southwest Delhi where 5,000 saplings were planted in a patch of 1,000 hectares. (Twitter/Office of Kailash Gahlot)

Delhi environment minister Kailash Gahlot started the mass drive from Issapur village, near Najafgarh in southwest Delhi where 5,000 saplings were planted in a patch of 1,000 hectares.

However, unlike last year’s mega-drive at Garhi Mandu, government officials ensured that all plastic pouches used to cover saplings used in Friday’s plantation drive were collected and sent to waste-to-energy plants for recycling.

Last year HT had reported how a number of saplings were planted at Garhi Mandu with their plastic pouches still wrapped around them.

The department on Friday used environment-friendly jute bags for bigger saplings that are about three to four feet tall.

“Over 24 lakh tree saplings will be planted across the city in 2019-20. This will not only help make Delhi pollution free but also increase the city’s green cover and help in sustainable development for a better future,” said Gahlot, addressing a gathering of 350 student volunteers and over 200 residents during the event on Friday.

Also, this year the government will distribute 3.5 lakh saplings free of cost to citizens, who can collect the saplings from 14 nurseries run by the forest department.

Around 1,200 schools and colleges participated in the event across the capital on Friday. At least 19 government agencies — including municipal corporations, public works department (PWD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) — participated in the drive launched by the forest department.

A large variety of native tree species, including fruit and flower bearing saplings like jamun, ber, guava, peepal, neem, pilkhan, jungle jalebi, bargad, amaltas, gulmohar and arjun, among others, were planted across 128 locations during the mass drive.

“We plan to increase the city’s green cover from existing 20.6% to 25% by 2022. This season our focus is on planting a judicious mix of evergreen deciduous (broad leaved) and flowered trees, which have a high capacity of abating pollution,” said Ishwar Singh, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and head of forest department.

He added that fruit-bearing trees will also provide a food base for the local fauna such as varieties of deer, neelgai and a host of birds that are found in city forest areas.

The overall plantation target for this fiscal has been reduced this year because of shortage of barren land. In 2018-19 the government had fixed the target at 32 lakh, of which around 29 lakh have been planted till March 15 this year, said a senior forest officer.

Last year, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched one of the largest plantation drives across the capital during which at least five lakh saplings were planted in a day. The CM had said increasing green cover was the best way to fight the growing air pollution in the capital.

The Economic Survey of Delhi 2018 had stated the city’s green cover at 20.6%. The Delhi government has targeted increasing city’s green cover to 25% by 2022.