Delhi's green cover up 3% since 2013

New Delhi, October 16

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday, while launching the second phase of the tree plantation drive under the Winter Action Plan in the national capital, said the green cover of Delhi had increased by 3 per cent since 2013.

Rai, addressing the media, said, “There has been a considerable increase in the green cover in Delhi — from 20 per cent in 2013 to 23.06 per cent in 2021.”

The government has planted more than 40 lakh saplings this year. It has set a target of 52 lakh saplings, similar to last year. Of these, 77 per cent has been achieved, Rai added.

Rai said, “In the second phase of the plantation drive, our target is to plant more than the remaining 12 lakh saplings. Apart from this, 50 lakh saplings/shrubs are being planted by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).”

The tree plantation drive every year is carried out by the government under the Green Action Plan. This year, it began on July 9 from IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute) Pusa, during Van Mahotsav, he further said.