'E-Vanlekh': Delhi government launches portal to help citizens protect forests and wildlife

The Delhi government has launched a new portal called "E-Vanlekh" to depict the city's green cover. The portal was launched by Environment and Forest Minister Gopal Rai on August 27, 2023. “Our department is launching the portal — https://evanlekh.eforest.delhi.gov.in. The main objective of this portal is to enable citizens to know which areas are notified as forest areas and wildlife sanctuaries. They can also learn about the work being done by greening agencies like the Forest Department and others and participate in it. It can also be a tool to avoid fraudulent sales of forest areas in Delhi,” Rai said.

The portal also uses a geographic information system (GIS) platform to visualise data effectively. This will help citizens understand the distribution of green cover in Delhi and to take steps to protect it.

The portal is a step towards the Delhi government's goal of increasing the city's green cover to 25% in the coming years. It will also help raise awareness about the importance of forests and wildlife conservation.

The portal can be accessed at the following link: https://evanlekh.eforest.delhi.gov.in/

Here are some of the features of the portal:

• It provides information on the location, area, and type of all protected forest areas in Delhi.
• It provides information on the location, area, and type of all reserve forest areas in Delhi.
• It provides information on the location, area, and wildlife species found in all wildlife sanctuaries in Delhi.
• It provides information on the location, area, and type of all buffer areas of wildlife sanctuaries in Delhi.
• It provides information on the administrative boundaries of the Department of Forest and Wildlife.
• It uses a GIS platform to visualize data effectively.
• It allows users to generate KML files.

The portal is a valuable resource for citizens, researchers, and policymakers interested in learning more about Delhi's green cover. It will help raise awareness about the importance of forests and wildlife conservation and promote sustainable development in the city.

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