15-day mega plantation drive to begin July 11: Delhi minister

The drive, Van Mahotsav Pakhwada, aims to fulfil a major chunk of the government’s plantation target of 3.5 million (35.38 lakh) saplings for this year, the minister said.

Environment minister Gopal Rai on Monday said the Delhi government will undertake a 15-day mega plantation drive from July 11, which will culminate at the Asola Bhatti mines on July 25.

The campaign will start on July 11 in all 70 assembly constituencies.

The drive, Van Mahotsav Pakhwada, aims to fulfil a major chunk of the government’s plantation target of 3.5 million (35.38 lakh) saplings for this year, the minister said.

“Van Mahotsav will commence from the Central Ridge on July 11 and culminate on July 25 at Asola Bhatti Mines by which time more than 1 lakh (100,000) saplings will have been planted. This 15-day event will serve as a catalyst for the tree planting campaign, featured as one of the 14 points of the summer action plan of the Delhi government,” Rai said on Monday, after chairing a high-level meeting at the Delhi secretariat.

Rai said the campaign will start on July 11 in all 70 assembly constituencies, and the deputy chief minister, ministers and speaker of the Delhi assembly will take part in the 15-day programme.

“As a result of all the measures taken by the Kejriwal government, a significant increase in green cover has been seen in Delhi. In the year 2013, the green area in Delhi was around 20% (of its total area), but thanks to our efforts, it has increased to 23.06% in 2021. In addition, Delhi has surpassed all other cities in the country in terms of per capita forest cover,” the minister said.

Of the 3.5 million saplings that are being planted this year, around 2.8 million are to be planted by Delhi’s 19 greening agencies, while the remaining 700,000 will be distributed free of cost to residents. Rai said the free distribution of medicinal plants and saplings will commence at Kamala Nehru Ridge from July 2.

“Free medicinal plants will be distributed to residents by government nurseries so that the people of Delhi can participate in increasing the green cover,” he said, adding that these efforts can help combat air pollution in the future.