New Delhi Municipal Corporation kicks off sandalwood plantation drive

NEW DELHI: The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) kicked off a special plantation drive by planting a Sandalwood tree on Tuesday at their headquarter in Palika Kendra. The action comes under the bigger initiative of planting 10,000 saplings within Delhi through various different civic bodies upon the order of Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena.

The new plantation drive is aimed towards the beautification of the capital state prior to the G20 Summit. As per the directions, civic bodies have to plant a total of 10,000 saplings, out of which, 1,000 would be done by the NDMC, consisting of 500 saplings of red and white Sandalwood each among various other measures.

The remaining 9,000 trees would be planted by other civic bodies such as the Railways, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Cantonment Board, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, Forest Department among others.

A senior official from the NDMC said that around 400 saplings would be planted in the North Zone while 400 in the South zone. From the 1,000 saplings allotted to the NDMC, currently 900 saplings would be planted and 100 would be stored in reserves.“The plantation of sandalwood trees would be future assets as it has timber value for the upcoming generations,” the official said.

Trees planted in the Aravali areas are expected to adapt with the environment for survival as the drive has enough time before the winter season kicks off in the NCR region. Though the soil testing for plantations hasn’t been done, the plantation is continuing upon the orders of the L-G, the office stated.