What’s in the news?

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched an extensive afforestation and plantation project called the “Green Wall” in 75 villages to revive the Aravallis that is under threat from rampant mining, dumping of waste and encroachments.
• The project is conceptualised on the lines of the African Green Wall programme.
  • The African Great Green Wall was an initiative launched in Sahel, the region bordering Africa’s Sahara Desert, to increase the amount of arable land.
• About 35,000 hectares in Haryana, including 18,000 hectares in Gurugram, will be part of the project to revive the Aravallis that stand as the only barrier stopping the expansion of desert land towards north-west India.
• The Green Wall project will not only increase the green cover and biodiversity of the Aravallis through afforestation, reforestation and restoration of water bodies, but also improve soil fertility, water availability and climate resilience of the region.
• The project will benefit the local communities by providing them with employment opportunities, income and ecosystem services.

Reference:

https://newsonair.gov.in/News?title=Environment-Minister-Bhupender-Yadav-launches-Aravalli-Green-Wall-Project-in-Gurugram&id=458223