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DELHI-GREEN-COVERAGE
Delhi plans to increase green coverage to negate climate change
By Aminul Islam Mirja
NEW DELHI, Jan 28, 2019 (BSS) – Delhi government has planned to increase
the capital’s green coverage to 33 percent from 22 percent with taking proper
steps to drastically reduce carbon emission to negate climate change impacts,
officials and media reports said here today.
“The state government under its action plan on climate change (SAPCC) has
taken a programme to expand the green coverage planting over 10 lakh
saplings,” a government spokesman said.
Apart from this, an increased number of environment-friendly fleet of CNG
buses will be introduced on roads along with enhancing the solar energy
capacity from 88MW to 150 MW by March this year as well, he added.
“The Delhi government has already submitted the SAPCC proposal to the Union
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,” he told newsmen.
The spokesman said the 250-page document also proposed of taking fuel
efficient mechanisms to save electricity nearly 100 MW by promoting energy
efficient lights on the streets and shopping malls.
India’s National Forest Policy, framed in 1988, suggested a minimum of the
country’s one third plain landmass will be brought under green coverage while
the target should be two thirds to prevent land erosion and stabilize fragile
eco-systems in the mountainous regions.
“We are making all endeavors to meet the national goal set by the central
government and is constantly adding new areas to the green coverage of the
state,” the official said.
As per the India State of Forest Report (SFR)-2015, the total Forest and
Tree Cover of NCT of Delhi is 299.77 sq. km. (20.22%).
Of them, 111 square kilometers are under the tree coverage and 188.77
square kilometers are under the forest coverage making a total of 299.77
square kilometers. Thus the green coverage of Delhi has increased to 20.22%.
Tree coverage in Delhi has been increasing on a sustained basis from 22
Sq. Km. (1.48%) in 1993 to 299.77 Sq. Km. (20.22%) in 2015 due to various
steps taken by the central government to face the climate change challenges.
According to official statistics, in Delhi, the forest coverage was 22 sq.
km. and percentage of geographic area was 1.48 in 1993 while in 2009, the
figure was 299.58 sq. km. and 20.20%.
But as per the latest report in 2015, the number stood at 299.77 sq.km and
percentage of geographic area is 20.22.
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