By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Friday announced that 10 more city forests would be developed in various parts of the national capital and a herbal garden for Ayurvedic medicine would be established.
“This would help in reducing pollution level as well as increasing green area in Delhi,” she said, on the function marking the World Environment Day and the signing of an memorandum of agreement (MoU) between the government and Federation of Hotel & Restaurants Association of India, the capital’s power distribution companies and schools.
The chief minister gave the credit of expansion of green area and environment protection in Delhi to the citizens.
“The green area of Delhi has gone up from 26 square km to more than 300 km during last 10 years. The people of Delhi are vigilant and they immediately inform the administration about cutting of tree in their areas. The government has made compensatory forestation mandatory wherein 10 saplings are necessary to be planted on loss of a tree,” Dikshit said, according to a statement released here.
She further said that expansion of greenery in Delhi has resulted in curbing climate change in the national capital and appreciated the role of eco-clubs in Delhi schools.
Dikshit said that her government has started giving 30 percent rebate on purchase of an electric small car with an aim of reducing pollution levels.
She informed that 600,000 saplings would be available at petrol pumps, Kendriya Bhandars and other such places and distributed free of cost to people, with an aim to increase more green cover in the city.