5 Lakh Trees In A Day: Delhi Government’s Ambitious Plan To Increase Green Cover, Reduce Pollution In The City

New Delhi: Dropping enough hints that Delhi government is serious about increasing the green cover in the city, Delhi’s Environment Minister Imran Hussain, on August 1, announced conducting a massive one day plantation drive, during which five lakh trees and shrubs will be planted in the city. Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal will lead the plantation drive. Though the date and location for planting trees and shrubs has not been finalised yet, work for the same has begun.

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To discuss the action plan of the plantation drive, Environment Minister Imran Hussain, on August 1, chaired a meeting with various green agencies who will be a part of the plantation drive. Apart from this, to increase the green cover and combat the problem of air pollution, the government proposes to seek active participation from local residents, RWAs (Resident Welfare Associations), market associations, school and college students and government staff.

In the meeting, all the green agencies were asked to look out for a suitable location for the plantation drive and send suggestions to the forest department by August 3. The Delhi Parks and Gardens Society, a society to coordinate the management of parks and gardens in National Capital Territory Delhi, was asked to ensure free distribution of saplings before the massive plantation drive.

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This is neither the first time that Delhi government has come up with a plan like this nor is this the first plantation drive in Delhi, in a recent while. Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is running a plantation drive under which 10 lakh saplings are to be planted during the ongoing monsoon season. From parks, roadside lanes, to Yamuna flood plains, the authority has plans to cover different areas of the city and give it a green makeover.

Apart from this, to instill the habit of plantation among people, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to distribute 8,000 saplings in the next two months. Saplings of native tree species will be distributed for free at various metro stations.

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NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.