NEW DELHI:

The Capital is all set to get greener with the State Environment Department aggressively starting work on its new city forest at Jaitpur in South-West Delhi.

While the State Environment Department had previously announced setting up of several new forests in the Capital, what it is doing new in Jaitpur is applying the principles of biodiversity and bringing in newer species of native trees that had not been previously used extensively for such projects.

“Usually we stick to flowering native species of trees which are sturdy and have a higher chance of surviving in the weather conditions of Delhi. This time, keeping in mind the need for providing bio-diversity in the city forests, the Environment Department has planted some fruit-bearing trees that can attract birds and other small animals. The idea is to provide to the city a forest area that is self-sustaining and brings along all the benefits of having a green space in the Capital,” said Environment Department's senior scientific officer Dr. B.C. Sabata.

The Environment Department has planted 5,000 saplings of native species with the help of 200 school children and residents of nearby areas in Jaitpur. “We began preparing the area over a month ago…making the soil ready to nurture the saplings…building a boundary wall to protect the saplings from animals that graze in nearby areas. The water in the area too has been tested to make sure that it is not too salty and that the saplings can survive. The saplings we planted have a survival rate of 70-80 per cent and we are trying to ensure that we are able to sustain the forest that we are creating.” In an effort to encourage people to plant more trees, the Environment Department's nursery has been distributing over two lakh saplings annually. It has also set a target of cultivating 16 lakh saplings for its own use.