EkPedMaaKeNaam: NDMC green push in Kidwai Nagar

New Delhi: The Vice Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Kuljeet Singh Chahal, on Sunday led a plantation drive at the NBCC Tower Shopping Complex in Kidwai Nagar (East) as part of the #EkPedMaaKeNaam_On Sunday campaign, calling for sustained community participation in environmental protection.

Organised in collaboration with the South Market Kidwai Nagar Welfare Association (Regd.), the initiative saw active participation from local shopkeepers and market office-bearers, who adopted saplings and pledged to ensure their upkeep. The campaign draws inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to plant a tree in honour of one’s mother, linking environmental action with personal responsibility.

Addressing traders and residents, Chahal said the campaign goes beyond ceremonial plantation and seeks to instil a sense of emotional and social commitment towards nature. “A tree planted in the name of one’s mother is a pledge to protect the environment and secure the future of coming generations,” he said.

NDMC officials said a year-long “Green Calendar” has been prepared to conduct plantation drives every Sunday across its jurisdiction. The Horticulture, Health, Civil and Sanitation Departments are coordinating efforts to ensure scientific plantation, maintenance, and regular monitoring of saplings.

During the event, traders welcomed the Council’s recent decision to ease business compliance. The NDMC has resolved that establishments holding an FSSAI licence or GST registration will not be required to obtain a separate Health Trade Licence from the civic body a move aimed at reducing paperwork and improving transparency. Market representatives described the plantation drive as both a tribute to mothers and a collective step towards a greener, cleaner urban environment, pledging continued support for the initiative.