Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 21
Delhi’s green cover has gone up considerably. The credit for it goes to schoolchildren and eco-clubs, said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today while inaugurating a plantation drive in the complex of Delhi Jal Board Water Treatment Plant at Kondli.

The Chief Minister said that society would have to learn from the children who have been involved in the plantation drive for more than 10 years. Around 300 schoolchildren joined Dikshit in planting saplings.

Deputy Speaker, Delhi Assembly, Amrish Gautam, Environment Secretary Sanjiv Kumar, CEO (DJB) Debashree Mukherjee, Additional Secretary (Environment) Sandeep Mishra, Additional Principal Conservator of Forest G.N. Sinha, Chief Conservator of Forest A.K. Shukla and others were present on the occasion.

Dikshit stated that 5,000 saplings would be planted at Kondli. The site would witness a green canopy once the plants grow up. She exhorted people to take care of the saplings.

She said Delhi has developed around 40 city forests which are the lungs of the city. The ornamental and valuable fruit-bearing trees such as Amaltas, Gulmohar, Jakranda, Milletia, Jamun, Ahmla, Aam, Bahera, besides Shisham, Neem, Arjun, Pilkhan, Peepal, Bargad are being planted at Kondli.