Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Friday led a large-scale plantation drive at Kamla Nehru Ridge in North Delhi as part of the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) citywide initiative to plant one lakh trees and shrubs in a single day. The campaign was carried out across 77 locations in the national capital and aimed at expanding Delhi's green cover while encouraging greater public participation in environmental conservation. The event brought together students, residents and officials in a coordinated effort to promote ecological restoration.

At the Kamla Nehru Ridge plantation site, Sandhu was joined by more than 200 participants, including students from St. Stephen's College, Hindu College, Hans Raj College and Maharishi Valmiki College, along with students from Mamta Public School in Vikaspuri and Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Shakti Nagar. Morning walkers and members of around 20 Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) also participated in the drive. The Lieutenant Governor said such initiatives should increasingly involve young people, as they would play a crucial role in preserving and protecting the environment for future generations.

Emphasising the need for sustained environmental action, Sandhu directed the DDA to make plantation drives a regular feature rather than limiting them to one-time campaigns. He also asked the authority to replicate the Kamla Nehru Ridge model across Delhi's other Ridge areas and stressed that ecological restoration should become a youth-driven movement. According to the Lieutenant Governor, it is the responsibility of the present generation to leave behind a greener and ecologically healthier Delhi for those who follow.

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To ensure the long-term success of the plantation campaign, Sandhu instructed the DDA to appoint dedicated nodal officers for every plantation site. These officers will be responsible for monitoring the survival and growth of the saplings and will be held accountable for their maintenance. Senior DDA officials, including the Vice Chairman of the authority, also took part in the programme, highlighting the organisation's commitment to promoting community participation in environmental conservation and increasing the capital's green cover.

The plantation at Kamla Nehru Ridge featured indigenous tree species such as Dhok (Anogeissus pendula), Amaltas (Cassia fistula), Dhak (Butea monosperma) and Gamhar (Gmelina arborea). These native species are well suited to Delhi's ecological conditions and are expected to strengthen biodiversity, improve wildlife habitats and enhance the long-term ecological resilience of the Ridge. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to improve the city's environmental sustainability through community engagement and the restoration of natural ecosystems.

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