600 locations spruced up for mega plantation drive today

NEW DELHI: About 600 locations have been identified across Delhi where the mega plantation drive would take place on Saturday, under which about five lakh trees would be planted.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will launch the drive, touted as the biggest ever in the city, where citizens will plant five lakh saplings and shrubs at the designated locations.

The unprecedented drive aims to effectively enhance the green cover of Delhi, which will have a long-lasting effect on air pollution control, according to an official statement from the Delhi government.

More than 1.25 lakh school children will also take part in the drive on Saturday, during which participants will be made aware of the harmful effects of air pollution and the importance of greening in subduing this growing menace, the statement said.

The aim of planting more than 5,00,000 saplings in a day is unprecedented, as in the past, not more than 50,000 saplings in a day have ever been planted in Delhi.

Delhi Environment and Forests Minister Imran Hussain reviewed preparations for the mega plantation drive with senior officials of various departments and greening agencies on Wednesday.

Having already communicated the details of sites and locations where the plantation will be carried out, greening agencies also expressed their resolve to meet the plantation targets pledged by them during the meeting.

Officers of the Forest Department informed the minister that details of around 600 sites/locations spread across Delhi have been uploaded on the Department's website.

A toll-free helpline 1800118600 has also been functioning to inform people of the nearest location as per their convenience to participate in the plantation drive.

At Wednesday's meeting, Hussain again urged the green agencies to make adequate arrangements for the availability of saplings, proper seating, light refreshment, and other amenities for the convenience of participants.

It was also emphasised that greening agencies should not only carry out plantation, but also ensure a high survival rate for making the plantation drive successful.

Hussain has also asked the agencies to make necessary arrangements for the independent audit, so as to monitor survival rate of the plantation.

It was also directed that feasibility of procuring machines for geo-tagging of plantation be explored at the earliest so as to trace and keep track of the survival of plants.