Greenless, treeless cities can't be modern

In India, 'development' and 'public good' are usually equated with tangible 'urbane' things like roads, buildings and flyovers. A clean environment that incorporates and exists with such development is even more important. Underlining this aspect, Delhi High Court this week reminded DDA that it should also see increasing the city's green cover as a public project of importance and asked why the agency can't consider acquiring land for planting trees, since the latter claimed it has run out of land to plant trees.

The court's observations for more trees are welcome. Delhi faces three challenges. One, it is battling high levels of air pollution - with a yearly spike around Diwali - and this is playing havoc with the health of residents. Two, the city suffers from a 'heat island' effect during the summer months. Three, Delhi is losing its forest cover. Its geographical expanse of 1,483 sq km included a forest cover of 195.44 sq km in 2019. But, by 2021, it became 195 sq km. This may look like a small loss, but these are ominous signs. At 13.2% of the total area, the Capital's forest cover is less than the national average of 21.7%.

As climate change tightens its grip, authorities must listen to what the Delhi HC is saying. They must reshape the developmental priorities and increase the city's blue-green infrastructure - that is, water bodies, trees, parks and gardens, as envisaged in the 2041 masterplan. Also, DDA must stop hiding behind the argument that it is doing compensatory plantations. It is not the same as retaining the existing green patches because trees cut during projects have a bearing on their local ecology. Most global cities are rewiring their relationship with nature. It's high time this also happens in Delhi.