The proportion of green area in the National Capital Region (NCR) has declined by nearly one per cent between 1999 to 2012, the Centre has said.
"As per the information received from the Ministry of Urban Development, the proportion of green area in NCR has declined from 4.26 per cent in 1999 to 3.30 per cent in 2012," Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said in a written reply dated April 3.
He said in the National Capital Territory of Delhi under the NCR sub-region, the green area in 1991 was 4.73 per cent while in 2012 it stood at 4.24 per cent.
Similarly, in Haryana sub-region, it declined from 3.40 per cent in 1991 to 2.75 per cent in 2012. In Rajasthan sub-region, it reduced from 6.48 per cent to 5.66 per cent in 2012, while in UP sub-region, it declined from 3.63 per cent to 2.03 per cent.
Dave said the development and maintenance of green cover in urban areas, including protection of trees, was within the purview of urban local bodies and urban development authorities.
These authorities make continuous efforts to plant trees to enhance the green cover including tree plantation drives involving the local people, he said.
The Union Minister further noted that the Green India Mission has been implemented by the Environment Ministry, which aims at enhancing the tree cover in 0.20 million hectare of urban and peri-urban areas, including institutional lands.
Further, the Environment Ministry has implemented an urban forestry scheme namely 'Nagar Van-Udyan Yojana' on pilot basis to create 200 city forests in the country in next five years.
The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) implemented by the Ministry of Urban Development also has the objective of increasing the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well maintained open spaces, Dave added.
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