Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched the Delhi government’s annual plantation drive on the banks of the Yamuna, with a target of 52 lakh saplings under the ‘Green Action Plan 2023’.
He was joined by citizens in planting 20,000 medicinal saplings.
The Chief Minister said the city’s green cover has increased from 299 sq. km in 2015 to 342 sq. km at present. The air pollution in Delhi has decreased by 30% since the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government in 2015, he added.
“In 2015, the average PM10 was 325 [micro gram/m³], this has further dropped to 225. In 2015, the average PM2.5 in Delhi was 150, and this has now reduced to 100,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
“Delhi was earlier second in the list of the 10 most polluted cities in the world. But due to the efforts of citizens, it is out of this list now,” he added.
The CM said the government’s plantation drive usually begins during the monsoon, but this year it did not want to waste any time and started it earlier than usual as the target is ambitious.
He added that 45 lakh saplings were planted last year, surpassing the target of 42 lakh. “Tree cover is decreasing in most cities across the world, but in Delhi it is on the rise due to our successful plantation drive.”
