Delhi State legal Services Authority (DSlSA) in collaboration with Department of Forest and Wildlife as well as Department of Education initiated the “Greening Delhi Project” which includes a plethora of tree plantation all over Delhi with the motive to educate people on ecology and laws relating to environment for a greener Delhi and ultimately for a better future.
A programme under this project “Our Earth and Us” was inaugurated at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi on Wednesday by the acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice Gita Mittal along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia , law Minister Kailash Gahlot and Environment Minister Imran Hussain.
The event commenced with planting of trees at the campus ground by all the dignitaries. Around 500 students from 10 Eco-Clubs of different schools in Delhi, faculty members and students of IIT Delhi participated in this programme other than the officials of the city Government.
About 12000 trees will be planted at different sites of Delhi by the students of various Eco-Clubs of different private and government schools. Whereas at IIT Delhi 2000 trees were planted by 500 students of 10 schools and a specific orchard site was designated for fruit trees where almost 150 fruit trees were planted including Mango, Jamun, Amla, Falsa and Chikoo in this greening project, the environment minister said.
Sisodia said, “Judiciary plays a very important role for environment. Our environment is protected by law but today plantation efforts are also made by them favorably, diverse groups of people also come forward for this effort. Earlier our forefather planted trees for us, we are planting trees for future and we should have a deal that we will further plant more trees for our next generation.”
“Main motive to organise this programme in IIT and to invite so many students from different school as this institute is the main focus for every child. Major threat to environment always prevails this can only be change when a company hires IIT student and he reject the job just because they are using illegal methods for damaging environment. Green covers have been increased to 0.01% but if we calculate this in landscape then we have almost 600 acre and it still needs to go really far”, the Deputy Chief Minister added.
“Today I saw so many scouts from different schools and it reminds me that I also used to be a scout in my school. At the age of 14 I attended ecology project at the United States of America there I learnt important aspect of environment and how vital it is for us, Justice Gita Mittal said.”
“This project is a great initiative in terms achieving a target of planting 1160000 trees this year and to build eight city forests in the Delhi which can only be achieved if maximum number of people indulge in this cause. He appealed to all the citizens not to use Manjha during Independence Day Celebrations for flying kites, as it can cause harm to the birds, the environment minister said.”
“Many departments and students are involved in this initiative If every person takes the responsibility of one tree then the environment can have a vast effect. Instead of cutting trees we should plant trees and also transplant it, the law minister said.”