Delhi's Environment Minister Rai inaugurates 6th Van Mahotsav in Rohini

New Delhi: Environment and Forest Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday inaugurated the sixth Van Mahotsav in Rohini, north west Delhi, Lok Sabha constituency. During the program, he also launched a Green helpline portal, https://ghl.eforest.delhi.gov.in, to respond to threats and ongoing offenses related to trees, forest, and wildlife reported by nature enthusiasts and stakeholders. The program involved MLAs from north west Delhi, including Rajesh Gupta, Mahendra Goyal, Ritu Raj Govind, Jai Bhagwan, Mukesh Ahlawat, Ajesh Yadav, Dharampal Laakda, Sharad Chauhan, Azadpur president Mandi Adil Ahmed Khan, Paryavaran Mitras, RWA members, and children and teachers of Eco Clubs from schools.

Environment and Forest Minister Gopal Rai began the Van Mahotsav program by planting seedlings. Following that, while addressing the people, he stated that since the inception of CM Arvind Kejriwal's government in Delhi, there has been a constant drop in pollution and a significant rise in the green area within Delhi. Due to the efforts of the Kejriwal government, the green area in Delhi has expanded from 20% in 2013 to 23.06 percent in 2021. As a result, Delhi's pollution level has decreased by more than 30 percent in the last eight years.

Rai announced, “Today from Rohini that our department is launching the Portal for Green Helpline https://ghl.eforest.delhi.gov.in.The main objective of this portal is to initiate quick response on cases of threat/ongoing offences in regard to trees, forest and wildlife reported by nature enthusiasts and stakeholders.

The Department of Forests and Wildlife has launched several new portals for the Vanmahotsav program, including an online portal for free sapling distribution, a Green Action Plan Portal for monthly plantation progress, an online portal for tourists at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, an internship portal for youth interested in environment and forest fields, and a training portal for stakeholders on various Forest and Wildlife Department acts and schemes. These portals aim to ensure the successful implementation of the Department's efforts in the Vanmahotsav program.

The minister said, “With the participation of MLAs and councilors of Delhi, a campaign will be started to distribute free medicinal plants in all 70 assembly for Delhiites in the hopes that the people of Delhi will join in on this massive plantation drive alongside the Government. Along with this, 14 government nurseries in Delhi are also giving away free medicinal plants so that individuals can take part in promoting Delhi's green space by planting trees in their homes. This year more than 6 lakh free saplings will be distributed.” Environment and Forest Minister Shri Gopal Rai administered the oath explaining the importance of the environment to all present and appealed to plant more trees to keep the state green.”