The Lt Governor, VK Saxena has directed all land-owning agencies to plant 10,000 Sandalwood (Chandan) trees across the Capital so as to effectively monetize their land resource.

Agencies like DDA, MCD, Delhi Parks & Garden Society, Delhi Biodiversity Society, and others have been advised to complete the plantation of these trees during the ongoing monsoon season itself.

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LG has also appealed to farmers and small landholders apart from farmhouse owners in the city to plant at least four Chandan Trees. By doing so, Mr. Saxena underlined, that the often resource-deficient farmers could easily depend on two trees for the education of their children and the remaining two could be utilized for aiding their future careers.

“Plantation of Sandalwood, apart from adding to the flora diversity of the Capital and enriching the general environs, will lead to monetization of government land and create immense financial assets for the land owing agencies and farmers/land-holders in the City,” said LG.

A sandalwood tree matures in 12 to 15 years and as per the current rates, sells at Rs 12- 15 lakh each. At this rate, 10,000 Sandalwood trees are estimated to fetch between Rs 12,000 -15,000 Crs upon maturity.

On a visit to the Sunder Nursery Complex today, the LG recounted his experience of successfully getting 2000 Chandan Trees planted last year at different locations like Nasik, Varanasi, Gandhi Nagar vicinity as well as Delhi in his previous stint as the Chairman, KVIC.

He informed that contrary to refrain in certain circles that Chandan Trees cannot come up in climatic conditions present in Delhi and other locations in the country, all these trees, including the ones that he got planted at Rajghat in Delhi, had in a year not only survived but robustly grown to a height of 9-10 feet.

This exercise of Chandan Tree plantation apart from monetizing available land resources, will create assets for self-sustainability, generate employment and support the Indian Sandalwood/Sandalwood Oil and Perfume Industry that depends on importing large quantities of Sandalwood Oil and Powder.

It will help India become not only Atam Nirbhar in line with the vision of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, but emerge as the global leader in an industry where the demand far outnumbers supply, the LG stressed.