According to an audit by the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, Environment Minister Gopalrai stated that the survival rate for trees planted by Delhi’s Forest Department is between 75% and 80%.
The audit covered tree plantation drives in the area in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. Rai said that the report was submitted in January. The survival rate for the north division, which includes Shahdara is 80.21%. However, it is 78.5% for the west division and 75.68% for the Najafgarh Range. The survival rate for the South division, which contains Mehrauli, was 72%. Rai stated that phase 1 at Asola Bhatti had a survival rate 76% and phase 2 had an 81.33%.
Rai also stated that we have given an order to the Forest Department for them to send data for the years following 2018-19 to the Forest Research Institute for auditing.
As part of next year’s tree plantation, soil testing will take place to determine the soil quality and survival rate in each area.
In 2016-17, 24 million saplings were planted. In 2017-18, 19 lakh were planted and in 2018-19, 19 lakh were planted. Rai stated that 28 million saplings were planted in 2019-20.