NEW DELHI: Saplings of chinar and cherry blossoms were on Monday planted by Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena and Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi in the ‘Yamuna Vatiika’ being developed as part of an ongoing restoration and rejuvenation of the Yamuna floodplains.
The plantation drive was undertaken as part of an event organised by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to mark World Environment Day. ‘Yamuna Vatiika’ is spread over an area of approximately 450 acres on the western bank of floodplains from Old Railway Bridge to ITO Barrage, officials said.
As part of the drive, 500 saplings of cherry blossoms and as many of chinar were planted at the “latest permanent public green asset” being created in Delhi, after the development of Asita and Baansera, they said.
“On the occasion of World Environment Day, the LG joined a plantation drive at Yamuna Vatiika on the western bank of river Yamuna. Happy to see a permanent eco-sustainable green recreational asset that is being developed by DDA for the people of Delhi, which will restore the glory of Yamuna and rejuvenate the floodplains thereby creating breathable public green space,” Lekhi tweeted.
The LG said efforts being made by the DDA for restoration of the Yamuna floodplains will not only create environment-friendly permanent green recreational assets for the people of Delhi but also mitigate direct pollution of Yamuna.
The ambitious project was lying in limbo for over seven years, and gained impetus, after the Delhi High Court passed an order in favour of the DDA, according to an official statement issued by the urban body. It is for the first time that an effort has been made to introduce flora species like chinar and cherry blossoms in Delhi. Recently, chinar and cherry blossoms were planted on the Yamuna islands and the saplings have shown rapid growth, it said.
At ‘Yamuna Vatiika’, saplings of chinar and cherry blossoms have been planted on over 10 acres of land in a three-layer circular grid formation with a big lush green patch in the centre, the DDA said.