Knowledge Nugget UPSC: Delhi's ancient ridge being restored Explained

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a mega drive to plant 70 lakh trees in Delhi and revive the Ridge. The campaign, part of the Centre’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, aims to develop 6,300 hectares of the Green Ridge area into forest land over four years. The Delhi government has declared around 670 hectares of the Central Ridge as a “reserved forest”. Shah planted trees at the Central Ridge and Nanakpura Ridge, marking the beginning of the Delhi Ridge Rejuvenation Campaign. The campaign includes planting 20.01 lakh trees, 37.07 lakh shrubs, and 92,960 bamboo saplings, along with free distribution of 12.04 lakh saplings to encourage citizen participation in environmental conservation. The Delhi Ridge is a critical ecological zone that acts as a green lung for the capital and a natural barrier against hazards like desertification.