Delhi LG urges residents to join PM's tree plantation campaign

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena urged residents to take part in a tree plantation campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Modi launched the campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', by planting a sapling at the Buddha Jayanti Park here.

Under the campaign, millions of trees will be planted across the country.

In a post on X, Saxena said the campaign encourages Indians to plant a tree in honour of their mothers. It is also aimed to contribute significantly to environmental protection and sustainability.

"Planting trees is the most effective solution to protect the environment, prevent pollution, and tackle global challenges like global warming," Saxena said.

He also highlighted the urgency of addressing Delhi's environmental concerns, including the intense heat and pollution plaguing the city.

"To facilitate participation, the Delhi government is offering spaces for tree planting along the banks of the Yamuna and in various other locations for residents without personal land," he said.

The Delhi forest department will provide free saplings to encourage widespread involvement of the people, he said.

Saxena led a plantation drive at DDA park Astha Kunj in Nehru Place where over 100 native variety trees were planted at this site.

Neeli Gulmohar, Gulmohar, Kachnar, Arjun, Maulsree and Jamun were planted to add to the ecology of this park, a statement by DDA said.

Last year, the LG, on World Environment Day, had launched the overhaul and makeover of the 450-acre Yamuna Vatika, under the restoration and rejuvenation scheme of the Yamuna floodplains, it said.

He had planted 500 saplings each of chinar and cherry blossom at Yamuna Vatiika, on the western bank of floodplains from Old Railway Bridge to ITO Barrage, the statement said.

In the last five years, the DDA has done a plantation of 33.88 lakh. For this financial year, the total plantation of trees and shrubs target in DDA parks and biodiversity parks is 9.10 lakh, it stated. PTI NSM NB