Forest Department
Government of NCT of Delhi

INTRODUCTION:

Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) every year carries out tree plantation drive throughout the States under the annual plantation program, namely, Delhi Green Action Plan. The Department of Forests and Wildlife, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi being the Nodal Agency, undertakes the plantation drive with great zeal and vigour in collaboration with 20 other Greening Agencies of the State. Additionally, free distribution of seedlings is also carried out by the Department of Forests and Wildlife, Govt., of NCT of Delhi and Delhi Parks and Garden Society for encouraging general public towards greening of the city.

Plantation programme is being assigned on annual basis by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India under Twenty Point Programme (TPP). Every year the State is provided with a plantation target by Central Government with a designated land proportion for the same.

For the year 2021-22, the plantation target received earlier from MoEF&CC, GOI vide their meeting notice no. E.4-1/2021-B-I (NAEB) dated 01.02.2021 was 18.33 lakhs, which was then revised to 31.53 lakhs, vide the D.O. Letter No. E.4-1/2021-BI (NAEB) dated 31.03.2022 on the basis of plantation target set by Govt. of NCT of Delhi, which was 33.19 lakhs.

The achievement of plantation and free distribution of saplings by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi during 2021-22 is 34,95,648 (plantation of 27,75,539 saplings and distribution of 7,20,109 saplings).

The Greening Agencies are also carrying out the third party audit of plantation works by an independent agency in a bid to ensure better transparency and monitoring of all plantation works in the State for previous years plantations by various agencies like Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, M/s CEIL (Certification Engineers International Ltd.), Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Combating Climate Change (MGICCC), GNCTD etc. for the plantations of 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. Delhi Forest Department and other agencies like DDA, NDMC, PWD, BSES, DMRC, NDPL, DUSIB, Delhi Cantonment, DJB, EDMC, North DMC, South DMC, CPWD, DSIIDC, Delhi Cantt., Horticulture etc. have already carried out or in the process of carrying out the third party audit of plantation.

The Delhi Forest Department has also been working on improving the quality of plantations. A major factor in success of plantation is the site appropriate plantation inputs and choice of species, soil testing of identified plantations sites is being done to assess and adjudge edaphic characters specially with respect to the nutrient and moisture stains. This will help the Department to identify the sites suitable species and specify the interventions in the care and maintenance of plantations. Furthermore modernization of nurseries and a shift towards raising more of saplings native to Delhi is being undertaken. This will ensure quantitative and qualitative improvement of the Forest in Delhi.

The initiatives that are being taken by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi are being reflected as increased Green Cover (Tree and Forest Cover) of the State. As per the biennially published India State of Forest Report (ISFR) by FSI, from 2013 to 2021 the Green Cover of NCT of Delhi has increased over the years from 297.81 sq km to 342 sq km.

A meeting was held on 06.04.2022 under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Forest Minister to review the plantation progress of the State. In the meeting the target for Green Action Plan 2022-23 has been decided as 35.38 lakhs.

GREEN ACTION PLAN 2022-23

(i) PLANTATION

Plantation Target: The plantation target set by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi for the year 2022-23 is given as below:

Plantation Plan: The plantation target set by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi for the year 2022-23 is given as below:

Once plantation will be completed maintenance will start simultaneously.

(ii) FFREE DISTRIBUTION OF SAPLINGS:

Target for Free Distribution of Saplings: The target for free distribution of saplings set by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi for the year 2022-23 is given as below:

(iii) PPLANTATION TARGET ASSIGNED BY MoEF&CC, GOI:

For the year 2022-23, the annual plantation target assigned by MoEF&CC, GOI to the NCT of Delhi is 31.85 Lakhs which is to be planted on 4900 Ha area.

(iv) SOIL MOISTURE CONSERVATION WORKS:

The forests of Delhi also provide an important ecosystem service by recharging underground aquifers. Soil and moisture conservation is essential for river rejuvenation as it helps in enhancing percolation of water in the soil and lowering surface runoff and also keeping a check on soil erosion by ensuring retention of water in catchment area, improvement of environmental flow and improvement of quality of water. This will eventually helps in enhancing the site quality which ultimately improves the natural regeneration, plant survival and growth, forest productivity and biodiversity conservation. It improves the overall water quantity and quality.

Soil and moisture conservation methods aims at strengthening the soil and moisture  measures in forested areas through measures like construction of conservation ditches, contour trenches, contour bunds, earthen check dams, brushwood check dams, loose boulder check dams, ponds, gully plugs and so on. These measures do not disturb the existing land use pattern of the forest area and therefore has been proposed as a treatment model for Delhi.

Till date around 250 checkdams have been constructed in Southern and Central Ridge by the Forest Department. This will enhance the role of forests in acting as natural sponges and enhancing the ground water security of Delhi.

Map of Checkdams constructed in Southern Ridge

Map of Checkdams constructed in Central Ridge

(v) THIRD PARTY AUDIT OF PLANTATIONS:

The  Hon’ble Minister (Environment and Forest), Govt. of NCT of Delhi had impressed upon the importance of audit of all plantation works by an independent third party in a bid to ensure better transparency and monitoring of all plantation works in the state. In pursuant to the directions of the Hon’ble Minister (Environment and Forest), GNCTD Delhi Forest Department has taken initiative to coordinate with all the greening agencies for pursuing this issue and to carrying out third party audits of the plantations done in the year during 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Agencies like DDA, NDMC, PWD, BSES, DMRC, NDPL, DUSIB, Delhi Cantonment, DJB, EDMC, North DMC, South DMC, CPWD, DSIIDC, Delhi Cantt., Horticulture etc. have already been carried out or in the process of carrying out the third party audit of plantations through various institutions like Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, M/s CEIL (Certification Engineers International Ltd.), Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Combating Climate Change (MGICCC), GNCTD etc.

Third Party Audit of Plantations conducted by the Department of Forests and Wildlife, Govt. of NCT of Delhi: The Department of Forests and Wildlife, Govt. of NCT of Delhi has conducted the third party audit for plantations done during 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 by Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. According to the audit report the survival percentage for plantation of Forests Department has been found to be approximately 78% on an average.

The data was collected from 3 forest divisions of the Department, i.e., North, South and West. Central division of Delhi has recently been carved out from some areas of South and West forest Divisions. Therefore, the plantation sites of Central Division were covered under erstwhile two divisions. Total 49 sample sites out of total 25 sites were selected randomly. Plantation area of 184.10 ha out of total area of 306.60 ha was selected in the present study for monitoring and evaluation. The study has been carried out by selecting sample plots in selected sites of forest range. Moreover, the size of plots and category of plantations were also taken into consideration for representation of all units. The random sampling strategy was adopted for the selection of sample plots in all study sites of the forest ranges. The selected plantation sites were traversed and area of the plantations was verified by recording the GPS locations.

The main indicators which were used for the assessment is summarized as below:

• The main indicators which were used for the assessment is summarized as below:
• Choice of species for the sites
• Selection of the planting site
• Planting methods
• Size of the pits/trenches including earth work done
• Spacing of the pits
• Time of planting
• Health of the plants (insect-pests & diseases or other causes)
• Cultural operations (Hoeing, weeding, soil working etc.)
• Protection measures
• Management of plantations (causality replacement, watering, pruning, thinning etc.)
• Growth and survival of plants
• Soil and Water Conservation measures

Major observations of the audit study of FRI, Dehradun is summarized below:

• The plantation survival data also reveals that about 60-70% of the plantation sites were classified as excellent to good in terms of survival. However there were about 5% sites which were classified as poor.
• The growth of plants is found to be satisfactory but none of the plants have reached to tree level. The growth of plants would have improved if the plantations might have been protected from wild and stray animals and cultural operations could have been carried out timely. However, efforts like presence of fencing and guard wall was found effective against the protection from animals. It was also recorded in the report that watchers were also deployed for the protection and maintenance of the plantation sites.
• The strategy and plantation techniques and sites selected for taking up plantation in majority of the incidences were suitable for plantation. It is imperative that sites of the plantations and species should be selected keeping in view of ecology of sites and biotic factors.
• FRI pointed out that, the cultural operations like singling, weeding, pruning, watering, soil working etc. could not have been taken up in most of the plantations properly as per prescriptions. For carrying out the cultural operations in the plantations more funds are required which may be provided regularly up to establishment of plants.
• The protection and maintenance period should be varied for the different sites as per the site conditions.
• Watering to the plants was provided with the help of water tankers, tube wells and water sprinklers.
• During the monitoring of plantations no serious and specific symptoms of damages by insects and pests have been recorded by FRI.
• The major species planted in the years were Terminalia arjuna, Melia azedarach, Dalbergia sissoo, Albizia lebbeck, Morus alba, Bauhinia variegata, Acacia catechu, Holoptelea integrifolia, Phyllanthus emblica, Acacia nilotica, Albizia procera,Terminalia chebula,Terminalia bellerica, Pterospermum acrifolium, syzygium cumini, Ficus benghalensis

Overall survival status of the plantations is as below:

Status of Third Party Audit of Plantations of Forest Department

(Source: Forest Research Institute, Dehradun)

The Status of Third Party Audit of Plantations conducted by other Agencies:

The available third party audit reports are placed in the website in pdf. format for further references.

(vi) OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:

• Training Programmes for Stakeholders:

In reference to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India order dated 29.11.2022 passed in I.A. Nos.169030/2019 and 105674/2020, in Writ Petition (C) No.202/1995, titled as “In Re: T.N. GodavarmanThirumulpad  VS. Union of India” wherein the Hon’ble Court directed Govt. of NCT of Delhi and DMRC to sensitize the public of NCT of Delhi apropos/qua the urgent need to augment and preserve the ecology of Delhi:

“Since the citizens of NCT of Delhi have had and would continue to have the facility of the metro rail, the GNCTD as well as DMRC are directed to conceive a plan of action for the purpose of planting trees in the NCT of Delhi. For that purpose, GNCTD may involve school and college students, educational institutions, NonGovernmental Organizations, Citizen Welfare Associations, public servants and every citizen or person who is interested in the ecology of NCT of 59 Delhi to plant trees/saplings and ensure that they are nurtured and protected so that the NCT of Delhi would in passage of time have more greenery leading to afforestation. The aforesaid direction is issued having regard to the precautionary principle as well as principle of sustainable development by ensuring citizens’ participation in the preservation of the environment and ecology.”

In pursuance of the above directions passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India vide order dated 29.11.2021, The Forest Department has identified following stakeholders:-

• Representatives from various schools/universities located within the territory of NCT of Delhi.
• Representatives from educational institutes.
• Reputable/leading Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) functioning in the area of preservation/protection of flora and fauna within the territory of NCT of Delhi.
• Representatives of the various Residence Welfare Associations (RWA’s) operating within the territory of NCT of Delhi.
• Public Servants.
• Every citizen willing to plant trees/saplings in Delhi.

To achieve the above objectives, following steps are being taken up:

• MGICCC is preparing to conduct weekly workshops for educating the aforesaid stakeholders/invitees/participants on the following:-
  • Sources of seedlings distributed by different sources.
  • Process of obtaining seedlings from different sources.
  • Suitability of species in r/o backyards /terraces /balconies /workspaces / homes.
  • Indentifying solutions/processes for raising seedlings to reduce the mortality rate.
  • Identifying the processes to be used for selecting species for different seasons.
• Workshops will be conducted by grouping the stakeholders in separate categories. The same shall consist:-
  • Educational institutes/schools/colleges
  • RWA’s/NGO’s/citizens/Citizen Welfare associations.
  • Other Government Departments on demand.
• MGICCC will have online portals for registration for sessions based on convenience of stakeholders. The links to the same will be placed on the website of all Greening Agencies.

In addition to the above, in accordance to the various court matters pending adjudication before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in respect of tree offences specified under the Delhi Preservation of Tree Act, 19940, the Govt. of NCT of Delhi has taken up responsibility to sensitize the Delhi Police/Greening agencies/other Government departments qua the urgent need to augment and preserve the ecology/green cover of Delhi, by way of, conducting workshops.

For achieving above objectives, following steps are being taken:

• MGICCC is planning to conduct weekly workshops. Components for the same shall include, but shall not be limited to:-
  • Types of offences under DPTA, 1994
  • Who can book offences under DPTA, 1994
  • Procedure to book offences under DPTA, 1994
  • Techniques used to detect offences.
  • How to report offences under the DPTA, 1994
  • Fines under DPTA, 1994.
  • Activities which require permission(s) under the DPTA, 1994
  • Process of obtaining permission under DPTA, 1994
  • Directions passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and Hon’ble High Court apropos sensitization of public towards preservation of the trees in Delhi
  • Information contained on the website e-forest portal.
• Groups for Workshops shall constitute:-
  • Administration of educational institutes/schools/colleges
  • NGO’s/citizens/Citizen Welfare associations.
  • Delhi Police/ Government Departments on demand.
• MGICCC shall have online portals for registration for sessions based on convenience of stakeholders and enforcement agencies.
• The links to the same shall be placed on the website of enforcement agencies as well as all Greening Agencies.
• The schedule till October can be opened now only.
• The duration of the workshops shall be extended to such a period as is felt necessary by amount of the registrations and participation of stakeholders.
• MGICC shall create a channel/link on social media platforms for putting recordings of the training program online for access to public.
• A booklet may be prepared on the training material for placing on the websites of all enforcement agencies as well as Greening Agencies.

(vii) Forestry Events:

Every year the Delhi Forest Department celebrates various forestry programmes like World Environment Day, Wildlife week, World Forestry Day, Van Mahotasav, etc., aimed at spreading conservation awareness among the people of Delhi. On this occasion activities like organization of rallies, planting and distribution of saplings, poster painting, photography competition, etc., are organized by the Department. The Forestry calendar for financial year 2022-23 is given below:

Plantation Achievement since 2012-13