CM Sows Seeds of City Forest on World Forestry Day

Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Shiela Dixit

Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Shiela Dixit planted saplings to create an urban forest at ITO chungi intersection on World Forestry Day 2010

Originated at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture in 1971, the World Forestry Day has been celebrated around the world for 30 years to remind communities of the importance of forests and the many benefits which we gain from them.

The event saw participation from various members of the civil society and also volunteers from Delhi Greens. Also present along with Smt. Shiela Dixit were Hon’ble MP (Lok Sabha) Shri Sandeep Dixit, Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Urban Planning Dr. A.K. Walia, Hon’ble MCD Councillor Shri Sohan Lal and senior officers from the Dept. of Environment. All of them engaged themselves with tree plantations to green the recently revamped ITO chungi crossing.

This year in India, the Forestry Day came at an even more interesting time, with the Central Government announcing the splitting up of the Ministry of Environment & Forests into a separate ministry for the Environment and another for Forests & Wildlife. Received with a mixed reaction from different section of the civil society, the decision has received a nod from the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and will hopefully generate more focus in wildlife issues and also more funding.

What should the World Forestry Day mean to you?

The best way once can celebrate the World Forestry Day in Delhi is by visiting local forests such as the Delhi Ridge (Kamla Nehru in the North, South-Central, South Ridge), Asola Wildlife Sanctuary, Sanjay Van, etc. and learn more about the many contributions they make to our well-being.

Identify a piece of land and plant trees to commemorate the day and also maintain the saplings properly. Further, make yourself aware of the status of the city forests in Delhi, particularly the Delhi Ridge, and identify the challenges these face and talk to your near and dear ones on the reasons and ways to protecting the city’s green lungs.

Aastha Kukreti

Aastha Kukreti holds a Master’s degree in Environment Management and her areas of expertise range from waste management, pollution ecology, green audits, ecofeminism, environmental equity and social justice.

3 thoughts on “CM Sows Seeds of City Forest on World Forestry Day

  1. Pingback: :: Delhi Greens :: » Stand for Survival: Plant a Tree with the CM this World Forestry Day
  2. Wonderful! I suggest more scientific studies and research should be carried out now for better solution to pollution in NCT of Delhi.

    Green Institute for Research and Development(GIRD)

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