The day after Diwali, Delhi’s skies wore their usual grey coat of smog: AQI soaring to a choking 451. But amid the gloom, a few patches of green are beginning to grow. Across the city, nurseries are giving away free saplings, urging residents to fight pollution with one plant at a time.
Nurseries, across the NCR, are quietly fuelling a green counter-revolution. The idea is simple: if the air is toxic, plant your way out of it!
“We’ve realised Delhi can’t depend on purifiers alone,” says Ashok from a nursery near Sarai Kale Khan, which has been distributing free saplings through the ‘Dilli Free Tree’ drive. Ashok adds, “Anyone can register online and collect up to 100 saplings, and we’re already seeing over 300 sign-ups this month.”
At another nursery, in west Delhi, Manoj Jain points to rows of green. “Aloe Vera, Sansevieria, Hibiscus, Neem — all are grown in polybags here so that people can carry these easily. During the cutting season, we even provide ready plants,” adds Manoj.
Even horticulturists are encouraging Delhiites to bring the forest home. “NASA research shows plants like Sansevieria and Chlorophytum act as natural air purifiers,” explains Avneesh Banswal horticulturist in-charge of the gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He adds, “These plants absorb toxins and release fresh oxygen; so even a few pots in your balcony can make a difference.”
Environmentalist Dhirender Sharma, from Delhi Greens, adds: “Trees are Nature’s own air filters. The more green corners we create, at home, in colonies, along roads, the cleaner and calmer the city becomes.”
Where can you pick up free plant saplings in Delhi?
- ITO Nursery, Near Pragati Maidan: 9467671259
- Birla Mandir Nursery: 7988959484
- Anand Vihar Nursery: 8368607171
- Aravalli Modern Forest Nursery, Tughlakabad: 8010508052
- Sarai Kale Khan: 7087444880
- Alipur, Seed Farm Road: 8708015132