NEW DELHI, July 5 -- The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Sunday marked the 31st consecutive week of its Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam plantation campaign with a community tree-planting drive at B.D. Park in B.K. Dutt Colony, where officials, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and residents stressed that long-term care of saplings is as important as planting them.
Leading the programme, NDMC Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal said the campaign, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative, has evolved into a weekly public movement. He said over 25,000 saplings, including trees and shrubs, have been planted under NDMC drives so far, though he did not share survival-rate data when asked whether the figures would be made public.
RWA president Harbans Dunkal said dedicating a tree to one's mother creates an emotional connection that encourages people to care for saplings. Calling rising temperatures and climate change a growing concern, he urged citizens to plant more trees and educate younger generations about environmental conservation. He also alleged that lapses by agencies responsible for protecting green cover and corruption have contributed to unchecked tree felling in some areas. RWA member said protecting existing trees should receive equal priority, arguing that indiscriminate felling for infrastructure projects has accelerated environmental degradation.
Health Sanitary Inspector Raju Deeka described the campaign as a positive initiative but said its success depends on public participation beyond ceremonial plantation. While acknowledging that development projects such as Metro expansion require land, he stressed that planted saplings often perish due to poor maintenance. "Planting must be followed by regular care," he said, adding that sustained community involvement is essential to improve the city's green cover.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.