The Delhi government’s Mega Tree Plantation Drive was inaugurated on Tuesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, with the lofty goal of planting 70 lakh trees throughout the National Capital. He spoke at the event and claimed that the effort would make the Delhi Ridge the “green lungs” of the city, bringing more life to the capital through ecological restoration and increased green cover.
At one of the 34 sites where the planter program was launched, Amit Shah planted a seedling on the Central Ridge—the residence of the President’s Bodyguard. Members of the Lok Sabha, including Manoj Tiwari and Yogender Chandolia, as well as ministers from Delhi Parvesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, were present at the event. Also in attendance were Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Shah emphasised the significance of the Ridge by saying that, despite its verdant appearance, a significant portion is covered with invasive plants and thorny babool, neither of which are good for the ecosystem. He pointed out that the final notification had been hanging in the air for nearly 30 years, despite the fact that 7,784 hectares of the Ridge had been registered under the Indian Forest Act in 1994.
In order to provide more robust legal protection, the Home Minister declared that 5,000 hectares of the Ridge had been designated as forest area. The ecological health of Delhi will be improved, soil and water resources will be conserved, and biodiversity will be restored over the next three years by the planting of native plants like peepal, banyan, neem, gular, arjun, and jamun.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is on board with the initiative and plans to plant 600 trees and 50,000 plants; more than 50,000 planting holes have been dug. Despite only making up approximately 3% of Delhi’s land area, the civic body is responsible for maintaining 1,450 acres of green spaces, which accounts for nearly 55% of the city’s green cover, according to Kuljeet Singh Chahal, vice chairperson of the NDMC.
Additionally, Amit Shah lauded the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ program of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it a historic environmental endeavour. As part of the initiative, NDMC has carried out 31 consecutive Sunday planting drives, demonstrating the government’s resolve to promote resilient urban development and sustainable practices.
Image: DD News
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