By IANS
New Delhi : The national capital will have a Parks and Gardens Society for maintaining and developing the city’s 15,000 parks.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced this here Monday.
After a cabinet meeting, Dikshit said that of the 15,000 parks, nearly 14,000 were not being well maintained and there was scope for much improvement.
“These 15,000 green sinks would provide a source for absorption of carbon emissions in the city,” Dikshit told reporters.
She said her government would seek the cooperation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and residents welfare associations.
“Involvement of RWAs and local bodies will also be sought for the development of colony parks and gardens.” Dikshit said.
“The society will strive hard to undertake tree plantation and increase green cover in Delhi from 19 percent to 33 percent – raising it from 326 sq km (now) to 500 sq km in the near future,” she said.
The chief minister will be the patron of the society and the chief secretary function as chief executive of the governing body.
The environment secretary would be chairperson of the executive committee for taking day-to-day decisions. The chief executive will select parks and prepare a plan for greening.
The society will have an initial corpus fund of Rs.30 million and will be able to access funds from the MP local area development fund, MLA funds and Bhagidari assistance, officials said.