Tree plantation drive carried out at Raj Ghat, Smriti Sthal

Senior officers of the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry today carried out tree plantation drive, along with inspection, at Raj Ghat and Smriti Sthal.

It comes days after the ministry decided to plant 1 million trees of 8-12 feet height in the next three months against the backdrop of redevelopment of seven colonies in south Delhi, where more than 14,000 trees were proposed to be cut.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, along with senior officers of the ministry and the Central Public Works Department, undertook the plantation drive and inspected the area at Raj Ghat and Smriti Sthal.

Last week, the ministry in a meeting, chaired by Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, had decided that the National Buildings Construction Corporation and the CPWD will re-work the design and plan for the redevelopment of the 7 GPRA colonies to avoid felling or cutting of the trees.

As per the plan, citizens groups will also be invited to suggest locations for plantation of trees.