NEW DELHI: L-G V K Saxena has directed officials to ensure that Delhi is adorned with flowering plants throughout the year and asked the NDMC to plant five lakh tulips, sourced from Jammu and Kashmir or Himachal Pradesh, in the next season, officials said on Thursday.
He chaired a meeting to review the Horticulture divisions of various departments and agencies and their future preparedness with regard to flower plantation and other activities.
“In line with his often professed goal of turning the capital into a ‘city of flowers’ and in cognizance of the enthusiastic response of Delhi residents to the prevalent, extraordinary spring bloom in the city, Saxena directed officials to come up with a detailed plan of action for the remaining year within the next 15 days,” the official said.
The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, chairman NDMC, VC DDA, Commissioner MCD and Engineer-in-Chief (PWD) and their Horticulture heads. These are civic agencies and departments that own Delhi’s parks, green stretches and roads, and undertake and execute most of the Capital’s horticultural activities, which include, planting flowers and flowering trees on roads and parks and maintaining nurseries among others, he said.
This year, about 1.5 lakh tulips were planted across the NDMC area. The L-G also issued instructions for five lakh tulips to be sourced and planted during the next season, the official said. Saxena said he took the matter of sourcing Tulips with the L-G of J&K and Ladakh and asked NDMC to source it from these Union Territories or Himachal Pradesh, rather than sourcing them from abroad, the official said.
“This will apart from encouraging and boosting indigenous suppliers, also ensure cost-cutting in procurement,” they added.