The residents of the of the developing sectors in the city have decided to plant 10,000 trees in the ensuing monsoon season to compensate for the proposed removal of almost 18,000 trees that fall in the alignment of packages one and two of the Dwarka Expressway.

Last Friday, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had approved the removal of 2,675 trees to facilitate the construction of the two packages. The Delhi government had strong reservations about the proposal, as it involved the felling of almost 18,000 trees, which it felt would badly impact the green cover in west Delhi.

Last year, the residents in collaboration with Dwarka Expressway Welfare Association (DXPWA) had planted 3,000 saplings on the premises of their residential societies, most of which have survived due to proper care and upkeep, the residents said. “We are in touch with the residents of most of the condominiums, and they have agreed to join us in making the area greener. We are extremely happy with the decision of Delhi government to clear the project and will like to add more trees to the area,” said Prakhar Sahay, joint secretary, DXPWA.

The association also said that once the project is ready, they will also carry out plantation drive along this road both in Delhi and Gurugram . The residents also said that this time they are planning to take help from experts to identify trees that are conducive to the weather in the city and will survive the extreme temperatures during summer and winter in the city. “We took a great care of the trees that were planted last year and majority of those saplings have survived. This year too we have set an ambitious target and hopefully the people will help us in achieving it,” said Pradip Rahi, general secretary of the association.

Latika Thukral, who is an environment activist said, “Most people prefer ornamental plants, which need a lot of upkeep. However, local plants such as Amaltas, Semal, Kaim and Rong should be planted as they easily survive in this climate.”

First Published: Mar 05, 2019 03:51 IST