NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, launched a bamboo plantation drive at the Bhalswa landfill site today. The plantation event was attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Member of Parliament from north-west Delhi Yogendra Chandolia and other senior officials from the Delhi government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to reclaim land previously occupied by garbage mountains, with 2,000 bamboo saplings planted on a 5-acre parcel of land that was reclaimed after two years of biomining.
During the event, Saxena explained that the plantation drive would ultimately see 54,000 bamboo saplings planted over the next one to one-and-a-half months, transforming the once waste-filled area into a green space. “Bamboo releases 30% more oxygen than other plants, making it an ideal choice for combating pollution in Delhi,” he noted. He further emphasized the rapid growth of bamboo, which can reach heights of 20 to 25 feet within a year, offering a quick and sustainable way to combat the city’s pollution.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta praised the efforts of the Lieutenant Governor and criticized past administrations for failing to address the growing waste crisis. She attributed the success of the ongoing reclamation project to the support of the Central Government, highlighting the use of reclaimed materials from the landfill in various national infrastructure projects.
Gupta also vowed to continue monitoring the progress of the landfill sites, committing to reduce their height and convert them into green spaces within a year. She emphasized that the “double-engine government” was working in “mission mode” to make Delhi clean and beautiful, ensuring that the city’s long-standing pollution issues are addressed swiftly and effectively.