New panel to suggest ways for tree plantations in Delhi: Gopal Rai

NEW DELHI:  Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday said the city government will set up a nine-member committee to suggest measures to suggest alternatives to overcome the shortage of land for tree plantation in the national capital.

The minister made the announcement while rejecting a request by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to revise the compensatory plantation scheme guidelines that require 10 saplings to be planted for each tree felled.

It also asked the government to bring down the number of saplings to be planted for every tree felled from 10 to 2. “The DDA wrote to the Delhi Forest Department saying they do not have land for compensatory plantation. They have requested us to make changes in the guidelines. We therefore reject the proposal keeping in mind the condition of city’s environment,” said Rai.

The government will ask the DDA to inform how much land is available for plantation in the capital. It has also been decided to set up a nine-member “Green Cover Development Committee” to suggest alternatives to overcome the shortage of land for tree plantations, Rai said.

The panel will have members from the Public Works Department (PWD), DDA, Forest Department, municipal corporations, School of Planning and Architecture, Central Public Works Department, Delhi Urban Arts Commission and the IARI-PUSA. “It will look at options like space availability on the roofs of government buildings, vertical greening etc,” the minister said.

Two dozen agencies involved in greening
Over the last two to three years, 27 agencies and departments have been allowed to transplant trees for their developmental work. Prominent among them are NHAI, DMRC, DJB, PWD, CPWD,  MCDs, Rail Land Development Authority and National Buildings Construction Corporation.