Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Delhi government’s campaign to plant 7 million trees across the national capital on July 7, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday.

The plantation programme forms part of the Delhi government’s efforts to increase green cover and address pollution in the city. Gupta also urged residents to participate in the initiative through the newly launched Green Drive Portal.

In a statement, the chief minister said citizens can use the portal to book plantation slots, collect free saplings from government nurseries, invite the government’s “Vriksh Rath” for community plantation activities and register themselves as “Delhi Green Warriors”.

“We had promised to plant 70 lakh trees in Delhi. Now it is time to fulfil it, together. The Green Drive Portal is now live. You can select a location and time, book your plantation slot, or visit any nearby government nursery to collect saplings,” Gupta was quotes as saying by news agency PTI.

According to the chief minister, residents planning plantation activities in housing societies, residential colonies or institutional areas can request the Vriksh Rath through the portal. The vehicle will assist local communities in conducting plantation drives.

Gupta said individuals who enrol as Delhi Green Warriors could also be invited by the government to participate in future plantation campaigns across the city.

The chief minister linked the initiative to the government’s broader anti-pollution measures.

“We had said that we would surround pollution from all sides. The EV policy has come, the number of garbage dumps is continuously decreasing, and this mega plantation drive will help make Delhi greener,” she said, PTI reported.

The launch of the plantation drive comes as the Delhi government steps up efforts to improve environmental conditions through measures aimed at reducing emissions, increasing green cover and managing waste across the capital. 

(With inputs from agencies)