Delhi govt to run plantation drive for next 15 days: Gopal Rai

The Delhi government will run a tree plantation drive across the national capital for the next 15 days as part of "Van Mahotsav", Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Saturday.

Rai, who inaugurated the "Van Mahotsav" at Ghari Mandu on Yamuna Bank, said the government aims to plant 33 lakh saplings this year as part of its goal of planting two crore trees in its five-year term.

"During the next 15 days, we will run the plantation program in all 70 assembly constituencies led by the respective MLAs. And we are hoping to meet most of our aim of planting 33 lakh saplings this year during this drive," Rai said.

He added that all the departments involved in plantation drives have been given directions for audit of the earlier programs.

"The audit report from the forest department will soon be made public," the minister said.

Also, to control the pollution problem in the national capital, he said, agencies have been finalised that will monitor replantation of the trees that are cut due to development works.

"The agency will make sure the trees and plants removed during any development work are planted at another location," Rai said.

The move is part of the new tree plantation policy that was cleared last year to prevent felling of trees due to development works in the national capital.