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The Green Drive, a TOI initiative along with Hero MotoCorp and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), brought together people from across the National Capital Region, and even from Ladakh. The event saw leaders and followers of different faiths from 17 spiritual organizations congregating to raise awareness about greening and cleaning Delhi. Over 30,000 people represented the Sant Nirankari Charitable Foundation alone. They included doctors, lawyers, auto drivers, students and businessmen.
Thirty NGOs under the umbrella of Teach India, with more than 3,000 volunteers, also supported the initiative in a big way. Companies that joined in the mega event included Oracle, Accenture, Sony, Ericsson and WWF.
Professor CR Babu, professor emeritus, Delhi University who, along with DDA, is developing Tilpath Valley as a biodiversity park, said that around 100 native species from 12 plant communities had been planted on Sunday. Sapling had been chosen carefully to suit the soil and topography. "This was a historic event. After inspecting the site in the evening, I found that the plantation has been done extremely well," he said.
A team of around 200 gardeners from DU and DDA helped people in planting the saplings. The day started with the blowing of the shofar, a horn used by the Jewish community to formally inaugurate important events. Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar explained that the ritual was meant to communicate to nature that people had collected to save trees.
An hour after the event began at 7 am, Delhi's deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia arrived and spent close to 30 minutes at the venue. After that saplings were planted by the heads of religious groups, including the leader of the Nirankaris, Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj.
The major plantation work was over by noon, but Professor Babu needed his team to bring in more saplings to meet the demand. "We were not prepared for so many people. Just before noon, there were more than 25,000 people at the site," he said. A woman, he said, had walked 3.5 km with her baby to come and plant a tree.
Volunteers like Mohid worked through the day. "I reached the venue at 4 am and stayed till 5 pm to handle the traffic. About 600 of us were tasked with looking after the traffic arrangement," said the 34-year-old businessman and member of the Nirankari sect. He was helped by Nirankari teams from places like Sonipat and Sohna in Haryana.
The saplings need care till they are 10-15 feet high, after which their developed roots can sustain growth. The Green Drive covered 35 acres of the park, but another 40-45 acres have to be forested. "Had it not been for this drive, the work would have taken us five years," said Babu.
Great job guys, we thank you for your dedication.
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