GMDA will spend ₹2 crore for building tree cover in the newer sectors

Rajbir Singh, advisor, urban environment, GMDA, explained that the agency relies mainly on corporate to help maintain green belts in the more developed parts of the city.

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will, in this financial year, spend a little over ₹2 crore on planting 50,000 saplings in the new and developing sectors 58 to 115 of the city, where green belts along roads are yet to be developed.

Officials added that the GMDA’s focus would be on planting indigenous trees and plant varieties. (Parveen Kumar/HT FILE)

Residents in these areas, particularly along the upcoming Dwarka Expressway, have raised the issue of excessive dust pollution because of barren green belts.

Rajbir Singh, advisor, urban environment, GMDA, explained that the agency relies mainly on corporate to help maintain green belts in the more developed parts of the city. “We find that companies are more willing to spend their CSR funds in these areas (developed parts) as they get more publicity. In the newer sectors, we have decided to take up the work ourselves,” Singh said.

Officials added that the GMDA’s focus would be on planting indigenous trees and plant varieties. About 10%-15% of the total saplings planted in these areas will belong to ornamental tree species, they said.

Currently, given the lack of substantial green cover in the city’s newer sectors, there is no dust trap to prevent resuspension of local dust in the area. “Well maintained green belts will also be able to improve groundwater recharge in the newer sectors, where the rate of extraction is higher due to lack of supply infrastructure,” Singh said.

In May, the district town planner had carried out a survey of all right-of-way (ROW) roads in the newer sectors to identify and remove encroachments from green belts.