Air quality of Delhi has become the worst among the capital cities across the world. The International Meditation Foundation has started a campaign to find long-term solution to the problem. It can be achieved by planting Peepal tress in place of Vilayati Kikar.

International Meditation Foundation-led by Swami Advaitananda has been running a concerted campaign to plant more and more Peepal trees in Delhi and adjoining areas. “We have done this in several other parts of the country including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Goa. Air pollution in India is kills 2 million people every year. As per WHO India is having highest chronic respiratory diseases and asthma in world. Poor air quality in Delhi is irreversibly damages the lungs of 2.2 million or 50 percent of all children in Delhi.” he said.

Swami Advaitananda, Chairman, International Meditation Foundation, said Delhi forest has primarily vilayati kikars which does not allow other trees to grow nearby it and with their deep roots it has sucked up much of groundwater, leaving the land dry. Peepal (Ficus religiosa ) trees can grow nearby it very well and they will grow faster compared to any other tree. As these new trees grow, vilayati kikars can be trimmed simultaneously and finally removed. In order to provide sufficient sunlight, the top canopy can be cleared.

He further said that Delhi’s jungle contains nearly 90% Vilayati Kikar and replacing that with plantation of Peepal trees would have a magical impact on the quality of air in the city. By replacing Vilayati kikar with Peepal tree would clean air and enhance oxygen by 40 times. Explaining this further he said that as per research reports Peepal tree’s carbon sequestration potentials are nearly 87% as compared to Vilayati Kikar’s carbon sequestration potentials are just around 11%. This is nearly eight times more than vilayati kikar. Peepal tree’s size, its canopy is more than 5 times of vilayati kikar. Eight times carbon sequestration potentials multiplied by 5 times canopy is 40 times increase in the jungle. Carbon sequestration potentials of 87% also means Peepal can clean 87% air and produce Oxygen equally. In other words, this will result in the improved air quality of the region by alleviating atmospheric pollutants.

Swami Advaitananda said that Peepal is the only tree which gives oxygen even in the night, vilayati kikar gives CO2 in the night time. This doubles the amount of oxygen Peepal tree provides as other trees provide oxygen only in day.

Swami Advaitananda informed that there had been a positive response from the government. “I have requested Shri Bhupendra Yadav Ji, Honourable Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, to take up this issue on a priority basis,” he said.

Air quality of Delhi has become the worst among the capital cities across the world. The International Meditation Foundation has started a campaign to find long-term solution to the problem. It can be achieved by planting Peepal tress in place of Vilayati Kikar.

International Meditation Foundation-led by Swami Advaitananda has been running a concerted campaign to plant more and more Peepal trees in Delhi and adjoining areas. “We have done this in several other parts of the country including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Goa. Air pollution in India is kills 2 million people every year. As per WHO India is having highest chronic respiratory diseases and asthma in world. Poor air quality in Delhi is irreversibly damages the lungs of 2.2 million or 50 percent of all children in Delhi.” he said.

Swami Advaitananda, Chairman, International Meditation Foundation, said Delhi forest has primarily vilayati kikars which does not allow other trees to grow nearby it and with their deep roots it has sucked up much of groundwater, leaving the land dry. Peepal (Ficus religiosa ) trees can grow nearby it very well and they will grow faster compared to any other tree. As these new trees grow, vilayati kikars can be trimmed simultaneously and finally removed. In order to provide sufficient sunlight, the top canopy can be cleared.

He further said that Delhi’s jungle contains nearly 90% Vilayati Kikar and replacing that with plantation of Peepal trees would have a magical impact on the quality of air in the city. By replacing Vilayati kikar with Peepal tree would clean air and enhance oxygen by 40 times. Explaining this further he said that as per research reports Peepal tree’s carbon sequestration potentials are nearly 87% as compared to Vilayati Kikar’s carbon sequestration potentials are just around 11%. This is nearly eight times more than vilayati kikar. Peepal tree’s size, its canopy is more than 5 times of vilayati kikar. Eight times carbon sequestration potentials multiplied by 5 times canopy is 40 times increase in the jungle. Carbon sequestration potentials of 87% also means Peepal can clean 87% air and produce Oxygen equally. In other words, this will result in the improved air quality of the region by alleviating atmospheric pollutants.

Swami Advaitananda said that Peepal is the only tree which gives oxygen even in the night, vilayati kikar gives CO2 in the night time. This doubles the amount of oxygen Peepal tree provides as other trees provide oxygen only in day.

Swami Advaitananda informed that there had been a positive response from the government. “I have requested Shri Bhupendra Yadav Ji, Honourable Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, to take up this issue on a priority basis,” he said.