Modi launches initiatives to shape cleaner, greener future for Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off electric buses in the national capital and planted a sapling at Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park on Thursday as part of a broader mission to build a 'clean and green Delhi' and rejuvenate the Aravali mountain range.
Mr. Modi was accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) V.K. Saxena, both of whom reiterated their commitment to sustainable urban development and environmental conservation on World Environment Day.
'Flagged off electric buses under an initiative of the Delhi government aimed at boosting sustainable development and clean urban mobility. Additionally, this will improve ease of living for the people of Delhi,' Mr. Modi posted on X.
The Prime Minister said the special planting initiative under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was part of the government's efforts to reforest the Aravali range under the Aravalli Green Wall Project.
'Will address concerns'
Highlighting that the Aravali range — one of the planet's oldest ranges that spans Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi — faces pressing environmental challenges, he said the government was committed to addressing them.
'Our focus is to rejuvenate areas linked with this range. We are going to work with the respective local administrations and going to emphasise things such as improving water systems, curbing dust storms, stopping eastward expansion of the Thar desert and more,' the Prime Minister said.
'In the Aravali range and beyond, in addition to the traditional planting methods, we will encourage new techniques, especially in urban and semi-urban areas where there are space constraints. Plantation activities will be geo-tagged and monitored on the Meri LiFE portal,' Mr. Modi said.
At a separate event at Bharat Mandapam, Ms. Gupta called for a complete shift from plastic use in daily life. 'We need to free our lifestyle from plastic use. We have included plastic in our everyday life and now the situation is such that even our blood has plastic particles, which have become the cause of cancer and other diseases,' she said.
2.10 cr. saplings planted
Mr.Saxena said over 2.10 crore saplings have been planted across the Capital by various agencies. He said that 30 wetlands and water bodies are being developed along the Yamuna floodplains, where seven lakh saplings have already been planted as part of ecological restoration efforts.
He termed the government's dust mitigation plan a key step in combating air pollution. On clearing of landfill sites, he said 75 lakh metric tonnes of waste were already processed. The waste segregation machines rose from 12 to 75, raising daily capacity from 7,000 to 25,000 tonnes, he said.
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