Delhi has less than 1 tree per person

NEW DELHI: Trees in Delhi — the ones alongside avenues, in colonies and at scattered a lot — have been on a decline since 2005. The protests in opposition to tree felling for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi colonies would possibly reflect the prevailing in style anxiety, but tree duvet in the city went down from 123 squarekm in 2009 to 111 squarekm in 2015, earlier than rising to 113 squarekm in 2017, in step with the Forest Survey of India’s State of Forest Reports.

READ ALSO: No extra trees shall be reduce for south Delhi initiatives: Centre




The capital’s in line with capita tree duvet stands at an abysmal zero.002 hectare. The Forest Survey of India (FSI) places Delhi’s in line with capita tree availability at zero.three, or lower than one tree in line with individual. And whilst wooded area and tree covers can't be directly when put next, Russia’s in line with capita wooded area duvet of 5.58 ha, Brazil’s 2.37 ha and United States’ zero.96 ha are suggestive of these towns being in a better state of affairs. Forest duvet in Delhi has gone up marginally since 2005.


FSI reports are in response to knowledge from two years previous to their newsletter. These, therefore, suggest that the loss in the city’s tree duvet has taken position basically in the 2005-15 decade. Tree duvet reported in 2004 was even lower at 98 squarekm. The tree duvet knowledge takes tree density in towns and rural areas which might be outdoor the safe forests. While wooded area duvet is in response to cover density above 10% in a space of 1 hectare or extra, tree duvet considers cover density in areas beneath that dimension. “Tree duvet will have to be increasing in towns. It can also be dynamic because these aren't safe forests,” explained Prakash Lakhchaura of FSI. “There can also be some exchange due to infrastructure initiatives, however the general development will have to be of a upward thrust in tree duvet.”


The declining tree duvet manner Delhiites are being exposed to mud and serious air air pollution more than previous. “Trees are superb trappers of mud and carbon dioxide. Trees and plants are also an important to minimise the have an effect on of heat island impact, which now not best will increase native temperature but additionally causes a upward thrust in emission of secondary pollutants like ozone,” mentioned Anumita Roy Chowdhury, govt director, Centre for Science and Environment. For this explanation why, compensatory plantations created at the outskirts would possibly not benefit city residents much.


The FSI knowledge signifies an building up in open forests since 2005, but a gradual and marginal decline in very dense wooded area duvet. Experts opined this could be attributed to the federal government’s compensatory afforestation initiatives. Interestingly, Delhi govt claimed on Thursday that 176 lakh saplings have been planted in the capital 2009 onwards and the survival charge has been 65%. Between 2018 and 2022, the surroundings department goals to plant one crore saplings to extend the golf green duvet by way of 65 squarekm. In doing this, professionals prompt considering the kind of species being planted. Efficiency of plants in assimilating air pollution is made up our minds by way of the shape and thickness of leaves. Native species are effective mud trappers. “I have even noticed the wooded area department planting champa, pongamia, royal palm and bougainvillea. These aren't even trees. You need canopied trees to fight air pollution,” mentioned C R Babu, professor emeritus, Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems. “Yes, the wooded area department has created a city wooded area and some wooded a lot, but it will have to focal point on local species.”
Delhi has less than 1 tree per person Delhi has less than 1 tree per person Reviewed by Kailash on June 29, 2018 Rating: 5
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