Panel hikes NCR’S greening target

HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Two weeks after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas increased the annual plantation target for Delhi by 21%, the panel on Wednesday increased the overall greening target for Delhi’s neighbouring states by 17.3%, which translates to a 59% rise in Haryana, 35% in Rajasthan and 2% in Uttar Pradesh.

After convening a meeting of the NCR states on Wednesday, officials said they have developed a greening roadmap for the entire NCR region.

“The total plantation and greening targets finalised for the entire NCR for 2022-23 is 2.90 crore (29 million) saplings, which is a 17.33% increase as compared to the previous year’s target of 2.47 crore (24.7 million) saplings. Timelines covering various activities including site selection, pit digging, soil weathering, commencement of plantation, completion of plantation, weed removal, mortality refreshment,

Saplings target across NCR in 2021

Saplings to be planted

across NCR this year monitoring and replacement have also been finalised and shared with the states as part of the Greening Action

Increase in target

Plan,” said a CAQM official.

Under the action plan for this year, Haryana will be required to plant 8.5 million saplings;

Rajasthan has to plant 984,000 saplings; and UP has a target of 16.4 million saplings.

In Delhi, the CAQM set a target of 3.2 million saplings, up from 2.6 million last year, at a meeting held on May 11. However, the Delhi government has already announced a target of planting 3.5 million saplings this year, with officials saying that the plantation drive is expected to begin from June.

Just like in Delhi, CAQM has told NCR states to focus on greening initiatives along central verges and roadsides.

“While finalising the Greening Action Plan, the need to focus greening initiatives along the central verges and roadsides has been stressed upon. Higher educational institutions, universities and research institutions have also been roped in for these plantation drives. The commission has also advised dense plantation using Miyawaki technique (dense, native forests in a small area)...,” said a CAQM official.