New Delhi: India will kick start its ambitious Aravalli Green Wall Project on World Environment Day on June 5 in a bid to give a new lease of life to one of the oldest mountains of the world ie Aravalli range which is facing rapid degradation, reports Dynamite News correspondent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the project by planting a Banyan sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign at Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park in the national capital, a step to prevent desertification and land degradation caused by global warming.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister will also flag off 200 electric buses under Delhi Government’s sustainable transport initiative, promoting clean urban mobility and symbolizing the nation’s collective responsibility towards ecological balance, said a statement here.
Aiming to create a 400 km long and 5 km wide green corridor covering states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi, India had introduced the Aravalli Green Wall project at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh in 2019. The Union Environment Ministry had released the project’s action plan in March.
The project envisages boostING biodiversity of the Aravalli Hill Region and is a major initiative to spread green cover in the 5 km buffer area around the Range in 29 districts of the four states, according to the statement.
Besides, reforestation and afforestation and rejuvenation of water bodies, the project aims to improve the soil fertility, water availability and climate resilience of the region. The project will also benefit the local communities by providing them with employment and income generation opportunities.
In the initial phase, 75 water bodies will be rejuvenated, starting with five waterbodies each in every district of Aravalli landscape, said an official from the Ministry.
The plan is inspired by Africa’s ‘Great Green Wall’ project, running from Senegal (West) to Djibouti (East), which came into effect in 2007.
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign encourages people to plant a tree as a symbol of love, respect, and honour for their mothers, while also pledging to protect trees and the Earth. Stay tuned to Dynamite News for further updates.