New Delhi, February 19 Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday stressed the need to make tree plantation a mass movement to protect the environment and address the challenge of climate change.
He was speaking at an event to mark the completion of five years of his pledge to plant at least one sapling every day.
Chouhan, who is also the minister of rural development, started this green initiative on February 19, 2021, on the occasion of Narmada Jayanti, when he planted saplings of ‘Rudraksha’ and ‘Sal’ at Amarkantak.
The minister has planted more than 6,000 saplings in the last five years.
Addressing the event, Chouhan announced that all the programmes organised by his two ministries would start with the plantation of saplings. He also directed the officials of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to do the same. Plants should be given as a token of honour to the dignitaries in such programmes.
After the successful completion of five years of his pledge, the minister emphasised the need to create a "platform" to make tree plantation a mass movement and said he would be working in this direction.
"Climate change has become a major concern worldwide. We need to take steps to tackle the adverse impact of climate change," Chouhan said.
The government is making efforts and has taken many steps, he said, but added that the society as a whole and every citizen too have responsibilities to protect mother earth.
"The environment will remain protected if there are trees. The most effective way to protect the environment is to increase the forest cover and green areas," the minister said.
Therefore, Chouhan said he took this pledge five years ago.
"Now, there is a need to create a bigger platform for tree plantation that can take along all sections of the society," he said, adding that a structured platform would help in accelerating this drive.
Chouhan exhorted citizens to plant at least one sapling on their birthday.
At the event, ICAR Director General M L Jat, environmentalist Anil Joshi, Sadhvi Ritambhara and senior journalist Ashutosh Jha were present.
They spoke on the need to save the existing trees and plant new saplings to protect the environment.