Plantation drive for making Delhi 'Green'

As per the latest report of government with the compensatory tree plantation programme launched by New Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (NDMRC) the overall green coverage in the capital have in fact improved during the last three years.

Due to the development of metro rail project as a part of the Capital transportation system, it was an utmost need to plant trees in various places to pay damages that has been done so far by cutting trees comes on the metro route.

As the national capital various developmental activities is an on going process and hence the state government has been assigning annual tree plantation targets to various agencies including the NDMRC, Airport Authority of India, Delhi Development Authority, the Public Works Department and Indraprastha Generation Company Ltd. These organisations are involved in various major construction activities in Delhi.

During the phases of metro rail corporation some trees were removed with the prior approval directly from the Forest Department of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. However, according to the Green Delhi Action Plan 2007-08 of the state forest and wildlife department compensatory plantation is important to improve green density of the capital.

The government made it compulsory for various agencies to carry out tree plantation as per requirements and availability of space to maintain the ecological balance. This year the Horticulture Department of New Delhi Municipal Council has taken action for planting 20,000 tree saplings.

Taking the report of forest cover at national level which is 23.03 percent of the total land area the capital city only holds only 10.2 percent forest cover against the required 33 percent as per the National Forest Policy. The National Forest Policy sets a target of 33 percent by 2012.

Responding to the fear expressed by environmentalist of Delhi’s degrading eco-system due to various infrastructural projects, the recent development is encouraging but there is much needs to be done with an active people’s participation.

The chief minister Sheila Dikshit earlier had also expressed government’s intention to make the capital clean and green before the 2010 Commonwealth Games by increasing the green cover and in this regard a constructive role from the younger generation.