NDMC plants 15,000 saplings - from 20 countries

The NDMC planted 15,000 saplings -- taken from 20 countries -- on Saturday, and said the number will go up to some 50,000 by the time the monsoon ends.

New Delhi Municipal Council chairman Naresh Kumar said this after inaugurating the second phase of a tree plantation and sanitation drive at the Commonwealth Games Park near Sarojini Nagar in south Delhi.

Saplings from 20 countries were planted in the drive on Saturday.

The countries included Bangladesh, Argentina, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, the US, Brazil, Australia, Belize, Chile, Cuba, Indonesia, Laos, Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Vietnam, India, Nepal and Myanmar.

The 2.5 acre park came up in 2010 when New Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games. It already has plants from 15 countries.

The NDMC chief said 20,000 saplings were planted in the first phase of the drive on July 25.

The saplings were planted on Saturday in the area covered by the NDMC, the smallest of civic agencies in the capital.