Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched Delhi’s 70 lakh tree plantation drive, saying the initiative will transform the Delhi Ridge into the city’s ‘green lungs’. The campaign aims to restore biodiversity, enhance green cover, and improve the National Capital’s environment under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
Key Highlights
- Amit Shah launched Delhi’s ambitious 70 lakh tree plantation campaign.
- The Ridge will be developed into the ‘green lungs’ of Delhi over the next three years.
- Around 5,000 hectares of the Ridge have been designated as forest area.
- The plantation drive supports PM Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
New Delhi, July 07: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched the Delhi government’s Mega Tree Plantation Drive, setting an ambitious target of planting 70 lakh trees across the National Capital. Speaking at the event, he said the initiative would transform the Delhi Ridge into the city’s ‘green lungs’, giving the capital a new lease of life through enhanced green cover and ecological restoration.
The plantation campaign was inaugurated at 34 locations, with Amit Shah planting a sapling in the Central Ridge, home to the President’s Bodyguard. The event was attended by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lok Sabha MPs Manoj Tiwari and Yogender Chandolia, along with Delhi Ministers Parvesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Highlighting the importance of the Ridge, Shah said that while it appears green, a large portion is covered with thorny babool and invasive species, which are not environmentally beneficial. He noted that although 7,784 hectares of the Ridge were notified under the Indian Forest Act in 1994, the final notification had remained pending for nearly three decades.
The Home Minister announced that 5,000 hectares of the Ridge have now been designated as forest area, paving the way for stronger legal protection. Over the next three years, native species such as peepal, banyan, neem, gular, arjun and jamun will be planted to restore biodiversity, conserve soil and water resources, and improve Delhi’s ecological health.
Supporting the campaign, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has targeted the plantation of around 600 trees and 50,000 shrubs, with over 50,000 planting pits already prepared. According to NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal, the civic body currently maintains 1,450 acres of green spaces and contributes nearly 55 per cent of Delhi’s green cover, despite covering only about 3 per cent of the city’s geographical area.
Amit Shah also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, describing it as a landmark environmental movement. NDMC has already completed 31 consecutive Sunday plantation drives under the campaign, reinforcing the government’s commitment to sustainable urban development and climate resilience.
Conclusion
The 70 lakh tree plantation drive marks one of Delhi’s largest environmental initiatives, with the transformation of the Delhi Ridge into the city’s green lungs expected to significantly improve biodiversity, air quality and ecological sustainability.
