NEW DELHI: East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has launched an ecosystem restoration initiative with the help of an NGO Green Yatra.
The civic body is planning to develop urban forests on vacant land space using Miyawaki technology.
EDMC has identified a 2,200 sq metre land parcel at Gharoli village near Mayur Vihar Phase III, where 7,000 saplings were planted on Wednesday.
The Miyawaki method, also called the potted seedling method, is an afforestation technique that uses native plant species along with components such as perforators, water retainers, organic manure and mulch.
The method guarantees high survival and 20 times higher growth rate of trees.
“We have chosen 26 native species in the right mix to create a four-layered system of shrubs, sub-tree level, tree layer and canopy layer.
After treating the soil, plants are packed closely so that vertical growth takes place rather than horizontal growth, eventually creating a mini self-sustaining ecosystem.
There are three-four plants per square metre,” said EDMC horticulture director Raghwendra Singh.
Singh said that for its part, the NGO has dug the land around three feet in depth and placed nutritional elements such as coco peat, rice barn, compost, cow dung, nutritional soil before covering the ditch with soil.
“Regarding water supply, we have made arrangements from neighbouring parks and if required, the staff will supply water through tankers,” he said.
Some of the species of trees planted are lemon, pilkhan, mango, shisham, peepul, Ashok, neem, pomegranate, Indian gooseberry, jackfruit, etc.
A similar project at Ghazipur landfill last year has seen success after ,000 saplings of 40 native Indian species were planted using the Miyawaki method over a 450 square metres by the corporation’s engineering department.
“The horticulture department is now planning to develop more urban forests on the other side of the Ghazipur landfill using the same technology and the exercise will start next week.
Considering the monsoon will arrive anytime soon, this would be the appropriate time to carry out such drives,” said an EDMC official.
The same methodology was used earlier near Barapullah drain at Sarai Kale Khan to reclaim a swampy sewage area and turn it into a carbon sink.