DDA refused to take part in mega plantation drive, alleges Delhi govt

NEW DELHI: Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was the only agency which was short of answers and was trailing by 70 percent of its greening target for the current year. The DDA refused to participate in the mega plantation drive, alleged the Delhi government in an official statement. Thereafter the CM wrote a letter to the LG and said that he should direct the Vice President of the DDA to attain the meetings and to participate in the drive.

“The DDA was unrepresented in the last meeting held on the issue by the Chief Minister on August 18 also. On the absence of DDA, the Chief Minister had called the LG on Saturday and had expressed his displeasure, to which the LG ensured him that the VC DDA would participate in the next meeting. However, the VC did not attend the meeting today again. The representative of the DDA refused to participate in the mega drive,” said an official.

It was decided in the meeting that a proper post plantation care would be ensured of the trees. The health of all the plants would be monitored every four months through Google earth based application and DGPS machines (GPS based machines). The FSI and the FRI would give all support to the government in post-plantation care.

The environment department will buy the DGPS machines and give it to the greening agencies for post-plantation monitoring. The exact location of the sites of a plantation on the day of the drive has been sought from all agencies. The locations would then be given to the center handling the helpline number for the plantation drive.