New Delhi: Delhi Environment and Forest minister Gopal Rai on Sunday kick-started the fifth annual Van Mahotsav extravaganza at Utsav Ground in Patparganj.
The event, aimed at promoting afforestation and environmental awareness, witnessed the launch of a new training portal by the Forest Department. The portal is designed to enlighten stakeholders about various acts, schemes, and activities related to the Forest and Wildlife Department, ensuring informed participation in the department’s initiatives. The event saw the presence of MLAs from the east Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, including Kuldeep Kumar, S K Bagga, Pravin Kumar, and former MLA Nitin Tyagi, alongside Kamal Bansal, chairman of Tirth yatra samiti.
Rai highlighted the importance of involving citizens and local representatives in the campaign to distribute free medicinal plants across all 70 assembly constituencies, emphasising the collaborative effort required to enhance the city’s green cover.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi has seen substantial growth in green cover, leading to a pollution reduction of over 30 per cent. The Delhi government aims to plant 52 lakh saplings this year, with wide participation from government entities,” Rai said. As part of Van Mahotsav, the Forest Department has also introduced online platforms for reserving free saplings, tracking the Green Action Plan’s progress, and offering internships in environmental and forest fields to youth.
As part of the celebrations, free medicinal plants were also distributed to attendees. They will continue to do so across the city, ensuring active citizen engagement in making Delhi greener and healthier.