Delhi to be Greenest Metro before CW Games: Sheila Dikshit

New Delhi, June 24: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has instructed all departments to prepare an action plan for greening including landscape plan of each park to make Delhi a greenest metro city in the country before start of the Commonwealth Games.

She gave these instructions today in a review meeting of Department of Environment and Forest.

Ms Dikshit categorically told all departments concerned to submit their action plan within 15 days to enable her government to closely monitor all greening efforts at the highest level to achieve ever highest survival rate of saplings.

Delhi Chief Secretary R Narainaswamy would personally monitor the progress and ensure co-coordinated efforts of all the agencies.

The chief minister added that greening movement should not be concentrated on mere saplings distribution exercise and concerted efforts should be done to beautify every little place available in Delhi. Greening in Delhi was to be developed holistically.

She asked the Forest Department to take care of patches on ridge. And further directed Department of Forest and Environment to make available expertise to all departments to help them in making their efforts fruitful.

The major stake holders in greening of Delhi are DDA, MCD and PWD which had been asked to intensify their efforts apart from arranging social audit of their greening activities which would help them in achieving desired results.

Ms Dikshit directed to concentrate on East Delhi where greening movement had yet to take off in real sense.

The MCD and PWD had been asked to beautify and make green entry points of Delhi. The PWD would make green its major roads, control verge, roundabouts and flyovers. The MCD had prepared a plan to redevelop its 800 parks.

The NDMC had been directed to develop green areas in government colonies. Delhi Metro was being requested to beautify its central verge by growing grass and making it lush green. The Irrigation and Flood Control Department would plant trees on both sides of its drains.

Free saplings were being distributed at Delhi Haat and number of Mother Dairy booths and Petrol Pumps.

The chief minister had also instructed Department of Forest and Environment to develop a better design of tree guards to bring improvement in survival rate of plants.

The department had also been told to clearly determine species of trees and shrubs to be planted on particular roads.

Ms Dikshit expressed confidence that the concerted efforts would help in making Delhi a more greener, cleaner and world-class city.

The meeting was attended by state Environment Minister R K Chauhan, Chief Secretary R Narainaswamy, Secretary Environment, Principal Secretary Public Works Department, Secretary Education, Principal Secretary Finance, CEO Delhi Jal Board, Engineer-in-Chief PWD, Member Engineering Delhi Development Authority and senior officials from Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

UNI