"Many poisonous and thorny trees are visible in Delhi's Ridge area, which create an illusion of a green Delhi when seen, but are not favorable to our environment," Shah said. Express photo by Abhinav SahaA mega drive to plant 70 lakh trees in the Capital and a campaign to revive the Ridge were launched on Tuesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other initiatives, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to realise what he called “a vision of a greener and more sustainable Delhi”.‘Mission 70 Lakh Plantation’ campaign, he said, has been in the Capital under Centre’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative in 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Home Minister planted trees at the Central Ridge and Nanakpura Ridge, marking the beginning of the Delhi Ridge Rejuvenation Campaign.He said that the Centre and Delhi government have resolved to develop 6,300 hectares of green Ridge area into forest land over the next four years and give legal protection to it to conserve its biodiversity, soil, water and Delhi’s environment.Union Minister of Environment Bhupender Yadav and Union Minister Harsh Malhotra were also present at the event. Shah said the Ridge, first notified under the Indian Forest Act in 1994, had remained without a final notification for three decades. “The Delhi government has taken a positive step in this direction and declared 5,000 hectares of this area as forest land,” Shah said, adding that legal protection would help restore the area’s biodiversity, soil and water systems.“Many poisonous and thorny trees are visible in Delhi’s Ridge area, which create an illusion of a green Delhi when seen, but are not favorable to our environment,” Shah said.He added, “Within three years, trees that live for more than 100 years such as peepal, banyan, neem, gular, arjun and jamun will be planted across the entire Ridge to turn it into the lungs of a green Delhi.Meanwhile, the mega plantation programme includes plantation of 20.01 lakh trees, 37.07 lakh shrubs and 92,960 bamboo saplings, along with free distribution of 12.04 lakh saplings to schools, Resident Welfare Associations, institutions and citizens to encourage Jan Bhagidari in environmental conservation, according to officials.Story continues below this adThe Delhi government has launched the Green Drive Portal to promote tree plantation by providing free saplings, highlighted an official statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs, adding that “citizens are encouraged to plant trees wherever land is available and contribute to realising the vision of a Green Delhi.”Shah also laid the foundation stone for the High-Security Prison at Narela, inaugurated the Automated Vehicle Testing Centre, inaugurated three new depots, and flagged off 300 electric buses in Delhi.He said cow dung from Delhi’s dairies will no longer flow directly into the Yamuna river. Shri Amit Shah said that an agreement will soon be signed with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to ensure that not even one kilogram of dung enters the Yamuna.He said the previous Delhi government used to dump 1,500 metric tonnes of dung into the Yamuna river every day.Story continues below this ad“The previous Delhi government used to dump 1,500 metric tonnes of dung into the Yamuna river every day. Now, under an agreement between the Modi Government and the Delhi Government, this dung will be processed into gas and natural manure, which will make a huge contribution to the purification of the Yamuna river,” he said.Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram