The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on Saturday laid a plan to geo-tag around 10,000 saplings of trees, it planted in New Delhi area on Saturday as a part of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's mass plantation drive. The geo-tagging would be completed by the end of this month.

According to chairman of NDMC Naresh Kumar, the geo-tagging of all the saplings planted by the NDMC would be done by the end of this month while the “block-chain system” would take at least two months. The block-chain technology would help the stakeholders to keep a track on the plantation and also help in taking corrective steps in this regard.

Geo-tagging of trees is the process of collection of geographical information in the form of latitude and longitude coordinates of a tree and other attribute data like tree name, year of plantation etc.  This data will be encoded in the form of QR Code and will be printed on the name plate along with tree name. By scanning QR code using Mobile Phone, the complete details of tree along with photographs will be shown. By capturing and storing of photographs of trees at regular time intervals, the growth of trees can be monitored through online application.

While the block chain technique refers to bifurcation of trees in particular blocks that can be easily demarcated and identified.

“It would be an innovative idea, initiated by the NDMC first time in the world and it would provide an opportunity to monitor the growth of the trees through Geo mapping and block chain technology,” he said.

Apart from 10000 saplings, the Corporation also planted 33,895 shrubs, 3, 77,650 ground cover and 23 palm in 14 circles of New Delhi area. The saplings of trees consisting of Neem, Pipal, Khirani, Ashok, Pilkhan, Jamun, Arjun and Imli have been planted along the avenue roads like Jai Singh Road, Sansad Marg, Mandir Marg, Peshwa Road, Mother Teresa Road, Raisinha Road, Jantar Mantar Road and 200 in Central Park of Connaught Place in New Delhi.

As per the Chairman, during last monsoons NDMC planted over 10 lakhs tree, shrubs and ground cover in its area. The Corporation also requested people to plant at least one sapling per person in order to maintain ecological balance, climate control, ground water supply recharge and above all, prevent the transport of chemicals into stream and enrich the soil conservation.