Lok Sabha Question No. 1178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-22
Subject: Plantation of Saplings in Delhi
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: KANWAR SINGH TANWAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N NO. 1178

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2017

## Plantation of Saplings in Delhi

## 1178.   SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether saplings planted every year in Delhi are less than the target set therefor;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether, in Delhi, Government departments/agencies except the Forest Department are not able to achieve the plantation target, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether forest cover in Delhi is less than prescribed under the National Forest Policy; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  corrective  measures  taken  by  the  Government  in  this direction?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) & (b) Afforestation/Tree plantation targets in the country under Item No.51 (a) (Area Covered  under  Public  and  Forest  Lands)  and  51  (b)  (No.  of  Seedlings  Planted)  of Twenty  Point  Programme(TPP)  is  fixed  by  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  and Climate  Change (MoEF  &  CC)  annually  in  consultation  with  States/UTs  including Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD). As per information received from GNCTD these  Plantation  targets  are  further  allotted  to  Greening  Agencies  in  Delhi.  The progress of the same are collectively reported to this ministry and to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) which is compiling achievements collectively  under  TPP.  As  reported  by  MoSPI,  the  achievements  for  number  of seedlings planted during last three years (2014-15 to 2016-17) by Delhi are as under:

## Achievements of Item No 51 (b) under TPP by Govt. of Delhi

| Year    | Point No. 15 - Item 51(b) of TPP - No. of seedlings planted (in lakhs)   | Point No. 15 - Item 51(b) of TPP - No. of seedlings planted (in lakhs)   | Point No. 15 - Item 51(b) of TPP - No. of seedlings planted (in lakhs)   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         | Target                                                                   | Achievement                                                              | Percentage Achievement                                                   |
| 2014-15 | 4.50                                                                     | 9.54                                                                     | 212%                                                                     |
| 2015-16 | 5.53                                                                     | 9.74                                                                     | 176%                                                                     |
| 2016-17 | 5.51                                                                     | 8.45                                                                     | 153%                                                                     |
| Total   | 15.54                                                                    | 27.73                                                                    | 178%                                                                     |

States/UTs also set their own plantation targets, in addition to the plantation targets fixed under TPP by MoEF&CC.  As stated by GNCT of Delhi, as per the policy of the Delhi Govt.,  the  forest  department  allots  a  target  of  1.00  million  saplings  approximately  to Greening Agencies each year to make Delhi green which includes the targets given by

MoEF&CC under TPP. As stated by GNCT of Delhi, 28.11 lakhs saplings including the target fixed by MoEF&CC and Delhi Govt. has been achieved during last three years.

- (c) As per the reports, the plantation targets fixed by MoEF&CC, have been achieved fully. However, as stated by Delhi Government, some greening agencies like Airport Authority of India, BSES,  Delhi Cantonment Board, PWD  have  either not reported the achievement of plantation targets allotted to them which is over and above the targets fixed by MoEF&CC  or reported less achievements. Such lesser achievement of targets is given to the concerned greening agency as backlog to be completed in the next year.
- (d) & (e) The National Forest Policy, 1988 envisages a target of 33% of Forest and Tree Cover (FTC) of the total  geographical  area  of  the  country  for  ensuring  environmental stability.  The Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun assesses the FTC of the country at the interval of two years.  The total green cover (FTC) of Delhi, as per ISFR, 2015, is 20.22% to state's geographical area, which has shown a net increase of about 1.96 sq. km. as compared to the previous assessment of ISFR, 2013.   Moreover, despite severe pressure  on  land  resources  for  developmental  activities  to  cater  to  the  needs  of  ever increasing population of Delhi, being the national capital of India the total green cover of Delhi  has  increased  from  5.93% in  the  year  1999  to  20.22%  to  the  total  geographical area of NCT Delhi in 2015.

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