‘Van Mahotsav’ celebrated with great fervour
The third ‘Van Mahotsav’ programme was celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm at the Asola Bhati Wildlife Sanctuary on Sunday. The event was inaugurated by Delhi Environment and Forest minister Gopal Rai, who also took the opportunity to launch an online portal for visitors to the sanctuary.
The ‘Van Mahotsav’ celebration witnessed active participation from various groups, including students and teachers from Eco Clubs, Paryawaran Mitra, and members of Resident Welfare Associations (RWA).
During the event, Rai emphasised the significance of the tree-planting campaign in combating pollution and maintaining ecological balance. He said, “Pollution in Delhi is present all the time as a major challenge. After the formation of our government, under the leadership of CM Arvind Kejriwal, our government is making every possible effort to maintain balance with the environment and nature.” The Delhi government has set ambitious targets for tree plantation, with plans to plant over 52 lakh saplings this year. Furthermore, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) aims to contribute an additional 50 lakh shrubs towards this noble cause.
Addressing the gathering, Rai highlighted the government’s future plans, stating, “The government will launch a campaign to distribute free medicinal plants in all 70 assembly constituencies with the help of MLAs and councillors of Delhi. This year, more than 6 lakh free saplings will be distributed.”
The newly launched online portal for Asola Bhati Wildlife Sanctuary will facilitate a seamless experience for visitors. It offers services such as issuing online entry permits, vehicle capacity permits, paperless tickets, advance booking, and online payment. Moreover, the portal will serve as an informative platform, providing details about the sanctuary’s ecotourism circuit, entry and exit gates, timings, holidays, and information about its flora and fauna.
The minister also urged the public to actively participate in the tree-planting initiative and pledged his commitment to improving Delhi’s green spaces.
The event successfully concluded with the distribution of free medicinal plants to all attendees, encouraging everyone to contribute to Delhi’s environmental well-being.
