Eros TimesDELHI:EROS TIMES: Environment and Forests Minister Imran Hussain on Wednesday convened a meeting of various greening agencies for fixing targets by conducting massive plantation drive for the current year.
The meeting was attended by senior officers of Forest Department and Horticulture Wing of various greening agencies viz. three Municipal Corporations (North DMC, South DMC & East DMC), Delhi Development authority, Delhi Parks & Gardens Society, New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), PWD, Education Department, DSIIDC, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), BSES, DTC etc.
Delhi government proposes to carry out massive plantation drive by planting around more than 23 lakh trees and shrubs, including 4,25,000 free distribution of saplings during the current year 2019-20.
The government proposes to seek active involvement of local residents, resident welfare associations, market associations, school and college students etc.
so that green cover of Delhi could be enhanced for combating the ill effect of air pollution.
Ishwar Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest informed the targets fixed for carrying out plantation drive for the financial year 2019-20 as per details below:-
| Sl. No. | Greening Agency | Plantation Target During Plantation Drive | |
| Trees | Shrubs | ||
| 1. | Delhi Development Authority | 2,00,000 | – |
| 2. | Forest Department | 4,30,000 | – |
| 3. | Education Department | 50,000 | 1,00,000 |
| 4. | New Delhi Municipal Council | 10,000 | 2,50,000 |
| 5. | DSIIDC | 20,000 | 15,000 |
| 6. | PWD | 12,000 | 3,00,000 |
| 7. | South DMC | 1,00,000 | 1,50,000 |
| 8. | North DMC | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| 9. | CPWD | 15,000 | 20,000 |
| 10. | Delhi Jal Board | 9,500 | 44,900 |
| 11. | NDPL TATA Power | 15,000 | – |
| 12. | DUSIB | 1,000 | 36,000 |
| 13. | Northern Railway | 2,000 | 5,000 |
| 14. | BSES | 15,000 trees | |
| 15. | East DMC | 20,000 trees & 50,000 shrubs | |
| 16. | DMRC | 10,000 trees | |
| 17. | Deptt. Of Environment (Horticulture) | 1000 trees & 500 shrubs | |
| 18. | Delhi Transport Corporation | 1,000 trees | |
| 19. | Delhi Cantonment Board | – | |
During the meeting, the Minister requested the greening agencies to carry out maximum plantation.
Delhi Parks & Gardens Society (DPGS) was directed to ensure free distribution of saplings so that the plantation drive could be carried out smoothly. All the greening agencies were directed to send the locations where plantation is proposed with at least one indicative Geo coordinate along with target allocated for the location.
Hussain also directed all greening agencies to set aside locations and targets for one day mass plantation tentatively scheduled in the third week of July, 2019 and the information is to be provided in consultation with Forest Department being the Nodal Agency.
During the meeting, the targets achieved during 2018-19 were also reviewed. Majority of the land owning agencies informed that they have achieved the plantation targets set for them for the financial year, 2018-19.
The Minister praised the efforts of Delhi Jal Board, Tata Power, PWD, BSES, Delhi Transport Corporation, Northern Railway and DPGS for achieving their targets.
The Minister also expressed confidence that other agencies viz. North DMC, Delhi Metro etc.
will carry out plantation during the current financial year as per targets set and are very close to the target set by them.
Hussain expressed concern regarding low green plantation done by Delhi Development Authority, DSIIDC, DUSIB, Health Department etc.
The Minister directed all the agencies to carry out third party audit of the trees/shrubs plantation done during the period 2015-18.
The exercise should be completed within four months.
The Minister also urged all greening agencies to provide locations where massive plantation were carried out during the year 2018-19 so that a inspection can be carried out to check the survival rate of planted trees/shrubs at different sites.
Hussain directed all the greening agencies to ensure the digging of pits, supply of manure, tree/ shrubs saplings and other essential facilities for the plantation drive.
He also emphasized upon providing good quality of saplings.
He directed that sufficiently tall/ mature saplings should be planted which will grow faster during the ongoing monsoon season and have high survival rate.
He urged the greening agencies to seek public involvement in plantation drive by associating with residents/ market welfare associations, students besides general public.
The Minister also directed the Department of Environment & Forest to undertake mass awareness campaign so as to make the plantation drive an unprecedented and successful drive.
He directed Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, to regularly monitor the plantation activities by the agencies on fortnightly basis.
The Minister said that he will himself personally monitor plantation activities on monthly basis.
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