changeadminIndia’s Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah, today planted trees at the Central Ridge and Nanakpura Ridge, marking the beginning of the Delhi Ridge Rejuvenation Campaign.
Additionally, the Minister launched the ‘Mission 70 Lakh Plantation’ campaign and laid the foundation stones for various works of the Delhi Government.
On this occasion, the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Bhupender Yadav; Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, Mr Taranjit Singh Sandhu; the Chief Minister, Mrs Rekha Gupta; the Minister, Mr Harsh Malhotra; and several other dignitaries were present.
Addressing the event, Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Mr Amit Shah, said that many poisonous and thorny trees are visible in Delhi’s Ridge area, which create an illusion of a green Delhi, but are not favourable to our environment.
Mr Amit Shah said that in 1994, 7,784 hectares of Delhi’s Ridge area were notified under the Indian Forest Act, but its final notification was not issued for 30 years.
He said the Delhi Government has taken a positive step in this direction and declared 5,000 hectares of this area as forest land.
The Delhi Ridge is the very old end of the Aravalli Range, one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, composed of hard, rocky quartz. For protection, the ridge is split into four zones: Northern, Southern, Central, and South-Central Ridge.
Furthermore, the Delhi Ridge serves as the “green lungs” of the city, housing several biodiversity parks and forests, including the Aravalli and Yamuna Biodiversity Parks.
Mr Shah said that the government will provide legal protection to the entire ridge, giving new form to its biodiversity, soil, water, and Delhi’s environment.
Within three years, trees that live for more than 100 years, such as peepal, banyan, neem, gular, arjun, and jamun, will be planted across the entire Delhi ridge, turning it into the lungs of a green Delhi.
Mr Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by launching the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, has initiated a remarkable effort for environmental balance in the country.
He said indiscriminate tree felling has created large holes in the ozone layer, causing an imbalance in the Earth’s temperature.
The only way to stop this problem is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from Earth. He said only trees can accomplish this task, and that is why Prime Minister Modi has given the slogan ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.’
Home Minister appealed to people to plant trees in the name of their mothers and for Mother Earth. This campaign, with its dual purpose, will help India move forward in the coming days.
He said this campaign has sent a message not only to India but to the entire world that development without concern for environmental balance is pointless.
Mr Shah appealed to the residents of Delhi to plant at least one tree in their mother’s name and to involve children in this effort, as they will have to carry forward the resolve of a ‘Green Delhi’ in the future.
Mr Amit Shah appealed to all residents of Delhi to visit the Green Drive Portal and book their slot for tree plantation, and to plant trees wherever land is available in nearby schools, colonies, temples, and societies to fulfil the resolve of a green Delhi.
He said that free saplings are being provided to people through the Vriksh Rath, launched by the Delhi Government, and the Nursery Locator facility also provides information about nearby nurseries.
Home Minister Mr Amit Shah said that the Government of India and the Government of Delhi have resolved to fully develop 6,300 hectares of the green Delhi Ridge area into forest land over the next four years and to ensure its protection.
This 6,300-hectare green ridge will become the lungs of Delhi, protecting the capital’s environment. Under this, more than 1 crore native plants, more than 65 lakh that will grow into large trees, and 65 lakh other plants will be planted.
He said the Delhi Government, with the help of the Government of India, has prepared a Working Plan Document (2026 to 2036).
We have formulated the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary Management Plan, and also prepared Delhi’s Bird Atlas. He said this is a comprehensive effort to restore the entire ecosystem.
India’s Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah, said that the Delhi Ridge will have more than 70 ponds, and that its archaeological structures will also be preserved.
He said eight special forests will be developed along the Delhi Ridge, including Nakshatra Van, Mel Van, Rishi Van, Tirthankar Van, Shankar Van, Vaman Vriksha Van, and Purani Vatika. Through these efforts, people will be connected with nature.
Mr Amit Shah said that they are working rapidly to fulfil the target given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the purification of the Yamuna River. He said cow dung from Delhi’s dairies will no longer flow directly into the Yamuna River.
Mr Amit Shah said that an agreement will soon be signed with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to ensure that not even one kilogram of dung enters the Yamuna.
He said the previous Delhi government used to dump 1,500 metric tonnes of dung into the Yamuna River every day.
Now, under an agreement between the Modi Government and the Delhi Government, this dung will be processed into gas and natural manure, which will make a huge contribution to the purification of the Yamuna River.
Mr Shah said that in the past year, 129 sewage treatment plants have become operational, and 59 more plants will be set up in the coming period.
These plants will discharge treated water into the Yamuna, and it will be ensured that the quality of the water released meets all prescribed standards.
Home Minister said the Delhi Government has launched an Electric Vehicle policy.
Through initiatives such as Yamuna purification, the comprehensive transformation of the Delhi Ridge area, restoration of the environmental ecosystem, and the EV policy, we will realise the vision of a greener and more sustainable Delhi.
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