MCD plantation to be mix of flowering, fruit-bearing trees in Delhi

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, as aprt of its annual plantation drive, is set to include flowering trees and those that bear fruits, with an aim to improve the biodiversity of the Capital, senior municipal officials aware of the plan have said. Some of the flowering trees suggested for plantation drives include amaltas, gulmohar, champa, and bauhinia, while fruit-bearing trees include ber, jamun, amla, and mango. Officials, quoting fresh directions issued by the Delhi forest department over the last one year, said that this year’s plantation drive has been planned with 25% of all plantations to be of flowering trees, and 15% to be of trees that bear fruits — with a special emphasis on native species to sustain the local ecosystems. A senior official from MCD’s horticulture department said that flowering and ornamental plants have always formed a key component in annual plantation drives, but fruit-bearing trees are usually discouraged in public spaces. However, this year, based on the revised guidelines from the forest department, we have redesigned the drive with more fruit-bearing trees,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.