The Hindu : New Delhi News : Green Delhi Action Plan released

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Green Delhi Action Plan released

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 5. Acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, the Green Delhi Action Plan 2004-05 released by the Delhi Government today on the occasion of World Environment Day has called for planting saplings that could specifically combat air pollution besides emphasising the need to check noise pollution and suspended particulate matters (SPM) in the atmosphere.

Released by the Environment Minister, Raj Kumar Chauhan, the document argues that private vehicle owners - both cars and scooters - should plant one tree for each vehicle they own. Giving a list of plants that could help in fighting pollution, the Action Plan recommended pipal, siris, amaltus, ber, neem, imli, shisham, dhak, gular, pilkhan and sataun. It also recommended desi kikar, bel, ulloo neem, siris, sataun, papal, pilkhan, kaner and maulsiri in areas affected with gaseous pollutants.

Besides neem, amaltus, pipal, pilkhan and maulsiri, the Action Plan favoured plantation of trees like arjun, gular, jamun and semul, for checking noise pollution and SPM. Pollution experts and environmentalists have been observing that noise pollution -- particularly along the major traffic corridors like Ring Road -- and SPM had reached alarming levels in various parts of the Capital, while certain parameters of air pollution too was much beyond the permissible limit.

"Though the introduction of CNG a few years ago has significantly reduced air pollution, there is no alternative to green cover for combating air pollution comprehensively. There is growing realisation for augmenting measures for ground water recharge where trees / forests can play major role in reducing run off and water conservation," it said.

While stating that trees like neem, pipal, jamun and pilkhan were more suitable to Delhi conditions, the Action Plan called for avoiding plantation of species like semul along roadside and residential areas as these can cause allergies. "Such trees if already existing should be covered under replacement programme. To avoid allergies from semul, pods having silk cotton, responsible for allergy should be plucked manually by land managing agencies before their splitting to reduce their impact," it said.

Continuing to emphasise on plantation of trees and not shrubs, the Action Plan called for special afforestation drives in North, North-West, East, North-East and South-West Districts, besides a focussed approach along the Yamuna river.

One of the major success stories of Delhi's plantation drive in the past few years has been the rehabilitation of the Bhatti Sanctuary through Eco-Task Force of Territorial Army and the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems of Delhi University, the Plan claimed. More than 1.55 lakh trees were planted last year, this year they have set a target of more than one lakh saplings in the area.

Among various Government agencies, the Forest Department has set a target of planting 3.30 lakh saplings with special drive in areas like Garhi Mandu on the Yamuna river bank, development of city forest at Hauz Rani, Alipur and Nasirpur and Southern Ridge. The Department has also decided to distribute 3.6 lakh saplings to the other agencies. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which last year had failed to meet the target of 1.62 lakh saplings by nearly 45,000, this year has again set a target of 1.6 lakh saplings.

The Action Plan also released a list of trees suitable for various locations. For instance for roadside it recommended plantation of sapling of tun, pilkhan, kusum, silver oak, bahera, neem, jiya pota, kanak champa and mahagonya. For parking areas it suggested trees like jamun, gulmohar, papri, pride of India, putranjiva, amaltas, pilkhan and maulsari. Spread over 1,483 sq. km, the Capital has 111 sq. km of forest cover and 40 sq. km of tree cover. Against the National Forest Policy requirement of 33 per cent forest cover in every State, Delhi's figure is 10.2 per cent. "We have a long way to go. The Action Plan is an attempt to accelerate the momentum of afforestation in Delhi," Mr. Chauhan said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi