Will soon approve tree transplantation policy: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said his government will soon bring a new policy under which agencies will have to transplant 80 per cent of the trees affected by their projects to a new location.

Many times cutting of trees becomes necessary for development activities like constructing a road or building. Till now, the government's policy required agencies to plant 10 saplings for each tree felled during their construction work, Kejriwal said during a digital press conference.

"No one knows how much time these 10 saplings would take to grow. So, we are soon going to approve a new policy under which agencies will have to transplant 80 per cent of the trees affected by their projects to a new location," he said.

"They will still have to plant 10 saplings each for every tree felled... The number of trees won't reduce this way," he said.

Ten saplings will have to be planted for each tree being transplanted too, according to officials.

The government will also come out with a list of empanelled technical agencies, which will be doing the transplantation.