Delhi Medical Association (DMA) president Dr Neelam Lekhi on Sunday, 2 August led a contingent of city doctors in planting saplings across the Capital as part of the Delhi government's Mega Plantation Drive. The initiative is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationwide 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, which frames tree-planting as both an environmental act and a tribute to mothers.

DMA's Role in the Drive

The plantation activity was supported by DMA president-elect Dr S. K. Poddar and Raminder Popli, Honorary Finance Secretary of the association. Doctors from across Delhi participated in the sapling-planting exercise, with the DMA describing the effort as consistent with its broader commitment to public health and environmental conservation.

'As the largest representative body of allopathic doctors in Delhi, DMA remains deeply committed to environmental conservation and to promoting a greener, cleaner, and healthier Delhi,' the association said in a statement. It added: 'As responsible citizens, we firmly believe that protecting the environment is essential for safeguarding public health and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.'

Government Leadership and Student Participation

The Mega Plantation Drive was organised under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife Manjinder Singh Sirsa. In a separate leg of the initiative, Sirsa encouraged more than 430 students and teachers from five schools to participate in a plantation drive at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

Sirsa described young participants as 'ambassadors of environmental conservation' who inspire their families and communities. 'They are ambassadors of environmental conservation and inspire their families and communities to actively contribute towards making Delhi a clean, green and world-class metropolis,' he said.

The Bigger Campaign: 70 Lakh Trees for Delhi

The day's activities form part of a year-long Delhi government campaign targeting the plantation of 70 lakh trees and saplings across the Capital. The drive draws its ideological inspiration from PM Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, which has been adopted by state governments and civil society organisations nationwide as a vehicle for mass environmental participation.

Notably, the involvement of medical professionals adds a public-health dimension to what is typically framed as an environmental initiative — underscoring the documented links between urban green cover, air quality, and community health outcomes. With Delhi consistently ranking among India's most polluted cities, the medical community's visible participation carries symbolic and substantive weight.

What Comes Next

The Delhi government has not yet disclosed interim targets or a monitoring mechanism to track progress toward the 70 lakh sapling goal. Sustained follow-up — including survival audits of planted saplings — will determine whether the drive delivers lasting green cover or remains a headline exercise.