With the aim of enhancing the green cover of New Delhi area as well as boosting the immunity of public at large by planting saplings of herbal medicinal plantation in view of covid-19 pandemic, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), have planted as many as 1,659 trees and 24,102 shrubs in the current monsoon season.

A senior NDMC official said the plantation drive, is in full swing in which thousands of shrubs and ground cover at nearby parks, gardens, main roads, surrounding areas and residential colonies had been planted in 14 circles of New Delhi area.

Medicinal plants like tulsi, amla, aloe vera, neem and giloy are also the specific part of this tree plantation drive in this year by NDMC.

NDMC have set a target of 5,116 trees and 1,50,676 shrubs plantation of various species of timber trees as well as  herbal medicinal plants for immunity boosting in the time of Covid-19 pandemic, the official said.

The civic body also included the fruit bearing trees like Jamun, Chiku, Nimboo and Anaar are being planted in its gardens, along circular roads and in residential colonies parks in the plantation drive. Besides this, 1.50 lakh shrubs ground covers will be developed during this monsoon season in New Delhi area, he said.

The official added the saplings of trees consisting of Neem, Pipal, Khirani, Ashok, Pilkhan, Arjun and Kachnar, Champa, Amaltas and Khirni had been planted alongwith the avenue roads at Talkatora Road, Talkatora Garden, Mandir Marg, Firozshah Road, Ashoka Road, KG Marg, Children Park, Nehru Park, Palika Niketan, Rafi Marg, Kushak Nala, Sanjay Jheel, Jor Bagh, Akbar Road, Shanti Path, PSOI Club, Lodi Colony and Lodhi Garden in New Delhi.

Once upon a time, Delhi was known as garden city but the Green area of Delhi had faced the concretisation due to increasing urbanisation, he said, adding with the sustained efforts made by the team NDMC, the green cover of New Delhi area had been enhanced from 46 to 50 per cent during the last five years

However, it is a matter of pride that the New Delhi area is one of the greenest areas of the Capital city, having over 50 per cent green cover and the survival rate of the sapling planted during the last few years average is more than percent overall.

“It is comprehensive efforts of NDMC, maintaining 1,500 acres of green area and 135 green avenues, ten major parks, 1,400 residential colony parks, 52 roundabouts, ten departmental nurseries, including three hi- tech nurseries, three international relationships memorial parks, many happiness areas and prestigious garden like Nehru Park, Lodi Garden, Talkatora Garden and Sanjay Jheel, Children Park, India Gate, Central Parks, Connaught Place, CWG Park, Shanti Path etc,” he said.