Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday alleged that the Delhi Police stopped the government's 'Harit Kalash Yatra,' an awareness campaign of tree plantation in Connaught Place here following orders from Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. The 'Harit Kalash Yatra' was scheduled to be held on Tuesday morning as part of Delhi government's winter action plan to combat pollution.
Rai said the event, which aimed to raise awareness about pollution and involved over 1,500 women from across the city, was halted just as the participants gathered at Connaught Place for the 'Harit Kalash Yatra' procession. Despite prior approval from the authorities, the police intervened and shut down the campaign moments before it began.
"Last night, LG sahab issued a directive through the police, and today our tree plantation programme in Connaught Place, aimed at curbing pollution, was stopped," Gopal Rai told reporters. "Around 1,500 women had come from different parts of Delhi, and despite having permission from the Police, as soon as the women lifted the Kalash on their heads, the police cancelled the programme even before I could even reach," Rai said.
Rai also criticised the move, accusing the police and LG of stifling the event while neglecting the city's rising crime. "While crime is rampant, the police are busy removing women involved in an awareness programme instead of catching gangsters," Rai said.
Expressing his disappointment at the disruption, Rai questioned the LG's stance on environmental efforts, stating, "The LG cuts thousands of trees without any permission, and now he chases away those running a campaign for tree plantation with police force."
"The LG doesn't require any permission to cut 1,000 trees, but when the Delhi government organises an awareness programme with all necessary permissions, it is forcibly shut down," Rai alleged. According to Rai, the event was progressing smoothly until the police intervened.
According to Rai, the Delhi Government's efforts have significantly expanded the city's green area, increasing it from 20 percent in 2013 to 23.06 percent by 2021. Delhi now ranks first in the country for per capita forest cover among big cities. “ The AAP government promised to plant two crore trees in five years, and by the fourth year, we achieved this target. This year, the aim is to plant or distribute 64 lakh trees,” he said.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Monday banned protests and the gathering of five or more persons in central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days, citing law and order issues. According to an order issued by the Delhi Police Headquarters, Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora has directed the imposition of Section 163 (previously Section 144 of CrPC) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the districts of New Delhi, North, and Central, and in all police jurisdictions sharing borders with other states. The prohibitory order will remain in
