TOI Green Drive: Spirited kids plant over 3,000 trees in Delhi

The seventh and eighth day of TOI Green Drive saw 913 students from 19 schools plant 3,007 saplings.
On August 19, 645 students from 13 schools planted 1,500 saplings on a 52-acre plot behind Baghban Apartment on the green belt of Rohini Sector 28. On August 20, students from six schools planted 1,507 saplings on a 12-acre plot next to TPDDL, again on the green belt of Rohini Sector 28.
It being World Photography Day as well, was a shutterbug's delight on World Photography Day that happens to be celebrated on that day.
Yesterday, six schools planted 1,507 saplings on a 12 acre plot next to Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) in the Green Belt of Rohini Sector 28.

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 10,707 saplings have been planted since lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung launched the drive at Sanjay Lake in east Delhi on August 4.

Among the species chosen was Schleichera oleosa that was planted behind Baghban Apartment, and Pongamia Glabra that was planted next to TPDDL. The schools that participated were SD Public School, Pitampura; Sachdeva School, Rohini; Mount Abu Public School, Rohini; Tulip Public School, Rohini; CRPF Public School, Rohini; St Margaret Senior Secondary School, Rohini; Arvind Gupta DAV Centenary Public School, Model Town; Yuvashakti Model School, Rohini; North Delhi School, Rohini; Venkateshwar Global School, Rohini; Sri Guru Nanak Public School, Adarsh Nagar; Queen Mary's School, Rohini; Sovereign Public School, Rohini; Ryan International School, Rohini; NK Bagrodia Public School, Rohini; Darshan Academy, Kirpal Bagh; Remal Public School, Rohini; Queen Mary's School, Model Town; and Vikas Bharati Public School, Rohini. All schools are enrolled with Times NIE.

Sri Guru Nanak Public School had 18 Class XI students participating in the drive.
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DDA Horticulture Department Deputy Director TP Singh said, "Each student planted 19-20 saplings. They were so dedicated and sincere." He also praised their enthusiasm: suggested that with this kind of enthusiasm, unless kids worked in groups, it would be difficult for each student to have at least one sapling to plant.
"They've all planted more than two dozen each, all in a jiffy. We either need more saplings to meet their energy or put a cap on the number each can plant."

Sumit Yadav, a prefect said, "I have planted 19. I would love to plant more." His friends Pankaj Sharma and Mahima Yadav planted 20 each. Students were seen grabbing water cans and sprinklers, and plant every sapling that caught their sight, even if they had finished doing their share.
"This is so much fun," shouted some as they rushed to tighten the soil around their saplings. With most schools having eco clubs, EVS classes and students having watched their parents tend to kitchen gardens had tales to share with their friends as they got their hands dirty.

"My grandfather worked in the CPWD department. He had nine nurseries under him. I've watched him tend to plants. If you water these saplings more than required, they'll die," said a confident Class VI student from St Margaret to his friends.
Rose Harith, Niyati Punjabi, Guneet Kaur and Ridhi Pandey from Vikas Bharati rendered a poem extempore, Dheere dheere kat rahe hai ped (trees are being cut gradually) on the occasion.
Students from Vikas Bharati had also brought their own saplings apart from those offered by the organizers.
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