NEW DELHI: North Delhi Municipal Corporation has initiated work for developing five mini-forests in the middle of congested areas in the capital this monsoon.
The project, which is being taken up with the help of Rotary Club, is aimed at contributing to ecological restoration.
The mini-forests will be developed in 1.5 acres each at C-Block Park in Azadpur Mandi, Sultanpuri B-4 Block, Prashant Vihar G-Block and Rohini’s Sector-24 and Sector-25.
The north corporation commissioner, Sanjay Goel, said that the project had been taken up under ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ programme and the sites would be developed in the next 15 days.
“Monsoon is expected to reach Delhi within a couple of weeks and we want to utilise this time for planting saplings for mini-forests besides the regular plantations in parks, gardens, central verges, etc.
There is a plan to plant at least 6,000 saplings of indigenous trees at these sites,” he said further.
The civic body had started the drive to develop such forests in the middle of congested areas two years back and three such mini-forests have so far been developed in Keshavpuram and two in Karol Bagh.
After five years, these sites will be developed into dense green areas.
“We are making efforts to develop more green spaces so that citizens can get clean air and a pure environment even in and around congested areas.
Last year during monsoon, we planted 27,330 trees and 37,000 shrubs and proposed to plant 20,000 trees and 30,000 shrubs this year,” said Goel.
A senior north corporation official stated that a total of about 16 acres of area would be converted into mini-forests.
“At these places, we will plant indigenous saplings like neem, pilkhan, pipal, jamun, fig (ficus carica), etc because their survival rate is high.
Arrangements for water supply have already been made,” he said.
Differentiating these sites to normal parks, he said that the saplings are planted close to each other in mini-forests and there is hardly any sitting arrangement.
“The areas have proper boundaries and gates and no benches are installed to dissuade walkers from sitting unnecessarily.
Chances of saplings getting damaged are also low,” the official said, adding, “while sites were identified early this year, the pandemic delayed the work.”