Delhi to get 6 new city forests

The national capital will get six new city forests by March 2019 under the green budget initiative of the Delhi government, officials said on Friday.

The officials of the Forest and Wildlife Department assured Environment Minister Imran Hussain, in a meeting organised to review the targets of the green budget, that the work will be completed by March 2019 after which the forests will be open for the public.

City Forest Management Committees will also be formed for supervision of the work and monitoring the maintenance by December 2018.

The officials also informed that over 20 lakh saplings will be planted across the city in the upcoming monsoon season.

The Delhi government will take the help of Resident Welfare Associations, Market Associations and non-government organisations for the campaign to be launched in June, the officials said.

"There are 14 forest nurseries in Delhi and the agencies will be given seedlings of local indigenous tree species from these nurseries free of cost," the Department said in a statement.

Hussain directed the Forest Department to develop more city forests expeditiously in the other parts of the city as well. He also appealed to the public to plant as many trees as possible for mitigating air pollution.

--IANS

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