A 20 million rupee pollution tower will be installed in Delhi’s Connaught Place for the next 10 months
New Delhi:
The Delhi Cabinet approved a tree transplant policy to prevent tree felling due to development works in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, saying it will be the first policy of its kind in the country.
Addressing an online press conference in the capital, he said the cabinet also approved a proposal to install a ‘smog tower’ in Delhi’s Connaught Place to deal with air pollution.
The government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore, and the tower will be erected in 10 months, the Chief Minister said, stating that it will also be “the first of its kind”.
Both measures have been taken as part of the Delhi government’s ongoing process. “Yuddh, Pradushan Ke Viruddh (Battle against pollution) “campaign in the national capital.
Under the new policy, which will help preserve trees for a clean and green Delhi, interested agencies will have to transplant 80 percent of the trees affected by their projects to a new location, Kejriwal said.
Under the policy, a dedicated panel of government agencies with a history and experience in tree transplantation is being formed, he said.
“Any department that requires the removal of a tree for some development work will seek help from any agency on the transplant panel,” said the Chief Minister.
“The agency in question will have to ensure that 80 percent of the total transplanted trees survive. Payments for the transplant will be made after one year to ensure this, and if less than 80 percent of the transplanted trees survive, they will be will deduct the payment, “added Mr Kejriwal.
The government will also form local committees, which will include citizens, for the control, monitoring and certification of the tree transplant exercise.
There are old, big and shady trees in the city that are like a blessing, but sometimes due to various development works, trees have to be cut down, said the Chief Minister.
The tree transplant policy approved by the Delhi government is the first of any state in the country, authorities said. Below this, 10 saplings will be planted in addition to the entire tree which will be dug up with the root intact and scientifically transplanted elsewhere rather than being felled.
The Chief Minister said Delhi will be the second city in the world to have smog towers. The central government is installing a smog tower at Anand Vihar, while the Delhi government will install another at Connaught Place, he said.
“The technology of this tower will be different from that of China. It will suck in polluted air from the top and release clean air from the bottom of the tower. In China, the tower releases clean air from the top,” Kejriwal said. He said.
The Chief Minister added that the smog tower will be installed as a pilot project and, if successful, more such towers will be installed in Delhi.
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