Groups to be formed for tree census

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s forest department will constitute 10 groups, five from resident welfare associations and five from school eco-clubs, to carry out a tree census in the city. The decision was taken at a tree authority meeting on Tuesday, where it was stressed that the census should only take place with people’s participation and not be handed over to private parties.

According to environment secretary Sanjiv Kumar, standard protocols under which the census would be carried out will be chalked out by the end of the month. “A tree census is technical work and we need standard protocols that would define trees, what needs to be recorded, and how etc,” he said.

Local participation, sources added, would be the key to such a survey. “Local residents will take ownership of trees and will be able to protect and identify them in case of problems. A meeting will be held later this month where we will chalk out a protocol for the survey. The RWAs and eco-clubs will also be identified then,” said sources.

Green Circle of Delhi has started a census, similar to that of Sarvodaya Enclave, at Jorbagh. Its founder member Suhas Boarkar said that till the time the government worked out protocols, Green Circle members would carry out their census alongside