New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) The Delhi government will carry out a massive drive to plant five lakh trees and shrubs on a single day this month, the city's Environment Minister Imran Hussain said.

The date for planting the trees and saplings would be announced later.

The government proposes to seek active involvement of local residents, resident welfare associations, market associations, school and college students so that the green cover of Delhi could be increased for combatting the ill-effects of air pollution, according to a statement.

The Delhi Parks and Gardens Society (DPGS) was directed to ensure free distribution of saplings so that the plantation drive could be carried out smoothly.

All the greening agencies were directed to send the locations for proposed plantation to the Forest Department by Friday so that a comprehensive action plan could be prepared for the drive, it said.

There is a need to create mass awareness about the plantation drive and the importance of green cover for the overall environment conservation and pollution control. Hussain sought active cooperation of all the greening agencies, the statement said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)