Delhi's green makeover: 2.5 lakh potted plants to adorn streets during G-20 Summit

Ahead of the upcoming G20 Summit in the city, the Delhi Forest Department is in the process of enhancing the city’s aesthetics by placing around 250,000 potted plants, said Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday. Rai said that the responsibility of tending to these plants has been assigned to approximately 300 officers and staff members of the department. Rai also highlighted that the city administration has already successfully planted more than 3.6 million saplings and shrubs, achieving 69 percent of the annual plantation target set. In line with its commitment to expand the green canopy, the Delhi government had aimed to plant 5.2 million saplings and shrubs during the financial year 2023-24. “We aimed to plant 50 per cent of these saplings before the G20 Summit. I am pleased to share that we have exceeded this target, having planted more than 36 lakh (69 per cent) saplings and shrubs,” Rai said. He said the remaining plantation will be carried out as part of the winter action plan, a strategy to curb pollution during winters, following the G20 Summit. The G20 Summit will be held on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi, where member countries and guest nations will discuss various economic reforms.