NDMC to plant 600 trees at 34 locations in mega plantation drive

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will launch a mega tree plantation drive at 34 locations across its jurisdiction on Tuesday, with a target of planting around 600 trees and 50,000 shrubs under the Centre’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, officials said on Monday.

NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal said the plantation drive will coincide with the Delhi government’s campaign to plant 70 lakh trees across the national capital.

According to NDMC, more than 50,000 planting pits have already been prepared for the drive.

“The civic body plans to plant native tree species such as peepal, neem, jamun, imli, champa, ashoka, gulmohar and amaltas, along with ornamental and indigenous shrubs including hamelia, justicia, canna, lily and murraya to improve biodiversity and green cover,” Chahal said in a statement.

Chahal said NDMC council members, heads of departments, officers and employees will take part in the plantation drive at different locations across the council area.

He said the civic body views plantation as an ongoing exercise rather than a one-day event. Under its “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam – On Sunday” campaign, NDMC has conducted 31 consecutive weekly plantation drives, while similar activities are also organised during national festivals and other public events.

The campaign has also seen participation from resident welfare associations, market traders’ associations, schools, institutions and residents, Chahal said.

Highlighting NDMC’s green cover, Chahal said the civic body maintains around 1,450 acres of green spaces, including six major parks, 122 colony parks, 981 CPWD-maintained parks, 52 school green areas, 51 roundabouts, 14 market gardens and nearly 15,000 avenue trees.

He claimed that although the NDMC area accounts for around three per cent of Delhi’s geographical area, it contributes nearly 55 per cent of the capital’s green cover.