DDA plants 100,000 saplings in 1-day plantation drive

New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Friday planted more than 100,000 saplings across 77 locations in the Capital as part of a single-day plantation drive, according to a release

New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Friday planted more than 100,000 saplings across 77 locations in the Capital as part of a single-day plantation drive, according to a release.

Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu directed the agency to institutionalise such exercises and ensure accountability for the survival of saplings, the statement read.

Leading the plantation at Kamla Nehru Ridge, Sandhu was joined by students from schools and colleges, members of resident welfare associations, and morning walkers.

Simultaneous drives were held at locations including Aravalli Biodiversity Park, Aastha Kunj, Sanjay Van, Narela, Paschim Puri, Hauz Khas, Vasant Udyan and Dilshad Garden Deer Park.

According to the DDA, the plantation focused on indigenous and climate-resilient species such as dhok, amaltas, dhak, and gamhar at the Ridge, while peepal, neem, jamun, arjun, shisham, and several native shrubs were planted across other sites.

“Such plantation drives should become a regular practice and be replicated across other Ridge areas. These exercises should be driven by the youth so that future generations become stakeholders in preserving and restoring ecology,” Sandhu said.

He also directed the DDA to appoint a nodal officer for each plantation site to monitor sapling survival and be accountable for their upkeep.

The plantation drive is part of DDA’s monsoon afforestation programme and the Centre’s 7 million plantation mission under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. DDA has been assigned a target of planting 2.3 million indigenous saplings across Delhi.