Environment Minister Gopal Rai to chair meeting on increasing Delhi's roadside green cover

New Delhi, May 17

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will on Tuesday hold a review meeting with officials of the Forest Department and the Public Works Department (PWD) to discuss ways to increase roadside green cover in the national capital to curb air pollution.

Rai had earlier asked the PWD to form a special task force to increase the roadside green cover in Delhi.

“The minister had told the PWD to identify roadside stretches where trees and shrubs can be planted to help mitigate air pollution. These details will be shared in the meeting today,” an official said.

The Delhi government has set a target of planting 35 lakh saplings across the city in the financial year 2022-23.

Delhi’s green cover has increased from 21.88 percent of its geographical area in 2019 to 23.06 percent in 2021.