NEW DELHI: Joining the fight against air pollution in the city, over 500 students from 12 schools planted 3,200 saplings on the fifth and sixth days of TOI Green Drive just after Independence Day . On August 17, students from five schools planted 1,200 saplings in the green belt near Vishal Bagh on GT Karnal Road while the next day seven schools contributed by planting 2,000 saplings in a 6-acre plot opposite Bakoli village, also on GT Karnal Road.
Green Drive, a TOI initiative along with Hero MotoCorp and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), aims at planting 1 lakh saplings in Tilpath Valley, Maidan Garhi, on August 30 after covering several areas across the city. At least 7,700 saplings have been planted since lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung launched the drive at Sanjay Lake in east Delhi on August 4. 1,200 Species like saplings w chakrassia and cassia semia planted o were found suit Monday able for Vishal Bagh while cassia semia, oleander and pongamia glabra were planted opposite Bakoli. Vishal Bagh Students from Ghoga Cross 12 schools-DAV Public School, Pushpanjali Enclave; DAV School, KR International School and Maharaja Agarsain Public School in Narela; Adriel High School, GD Goenka Public School and Sachdeva Public School in Rohini; Sachdeva Public School, Goodley Public School, Bal Bharti Public School and Jagannath International School in Pitampura; and Modern Public School in Shalimar Bagh--partici pated in the drive. All these schools are enrolled with Times NIE.
Several students car ried placards with sloere gans like `Let's make n 2 Delhi greener'; `The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the next time is today'; and `Tree and plants what a sight, being with them is a true delight'.
"I have planted 30 sap lings all by myself and I am going to plant more.
We learnt from our teacher about the rising level of pol lution in Delhi and I have promised myself to plant lots of trees whenever I can," said Jatin Harshit, a Class VII student.
,000 "My target is to plant at least 50 lings were trees today." Shobit Bansal, a Class VIII student, said, "I plant trees in my school and in the park near my house. My mother has taught me how to plant a tree and she keeps telling me about different species and their impact on our environment. I am hap py that we have been invited to take part in such a drive."
To boost the students' enthusiasm and make the drive a little competitive, TOI also announced special gifts for the students who will plant most number of saplings.
A Delhi-based group of drummers, DjembeFola United, joined the drive for the second time on August 18. Drum beats and mild showers also prompted the students to break into sing ing and dancing in between planting the sap Park lings.
Many students didn't even want to leave. "It is good at times to go out and do something different. I thank TOI for organ izing such a wonderful event. I wish to come back," said Ayush Mittal, a Class IX student.
