Delhi Parks and Garden Society is planning to develop another green belt spread over 100 acres in southwest Delhi, which might come up along the Najafgarh lake
What better way to keep the memories of your loved ones alive than planting a tree in their name? In fact, why just mourn someone, celebrate a new life by giving back to the earth too.
For Shahana, 20, a Gulmohar tree for merely Rs 1,100 was the best gift her parents gave her when she turned one. The beautiful large Gulmohar bearing red flowers is now as old as her and stands tall in the Smriti Vatika (memory plantation) in south Delhi's Moti Bagh, developed by the Delhi government in 1985.
The Delhi government's scheme of the 80s to encourage afforestation in the city has turned out to be a hit with around 1,000 trees of different varieties planted in its green belt as of now. An increasing number of people keep pouring in to plant saplings to commemorate a person or an event that is close to their heart.
According to officials, the government's Delhi Parks and Garden Society is planning to develop another green belt spread over 100 acres in southwest Delhi. The proposed project will come up along the Najafgarh jheel.
"This land was developed as a memory park in 1985 as a part of a scheme floated by the then government to encourage people to plant trees. A large number of people have come forward for the cause since. It has helped increase the green cover in the area and would help other areas too if the plan is extended. This is why we are thinking of expanding the scheme," said SD Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Parks and Garden Society.
Spread over 8 acres, the exotic garden has 15 to 20 varieties of native trees including Gulmohar, Peepal, Neem, Pilkhan, Amaltas, Khirni, Jamun, and Bel Giri among others.
"We have 788 trees which uses up the area of the garden to the fullest capacity. We have requests pending from people who want to plant new saplings, but cannot because we are short of space. However, soon we will have a new green belt where people across the country will be able to plant saplings," said JP Sharma, Horticulture In-charge, southwest Delhi.
One just needs to come and pay a sum of Rs 1,100 to plant one tree and the rest is taken care of by the Horticulture Department.
Taking cue from the scheme, other government agencies such as MCD and DDA too have initiated their own plantation drives.
"For the time being, until the new green belt comes up, we are asking people to go to Nizamuddin area, where MCD and DDA have their nursery," he said.
Under the Delhi Master Plan 2021, the DDA has earmarked 800 acres of land to develop a picnic hut along the Najafgarh drain. The Delhi government has asked for land nearby so that it can be an extended green belt area.
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