Van Mahotsav kicks off in Assam with planting of saplings by Forest Minister

July 1: Environment and Forest Minister, Parimal Suklabaidya inaugurated the week-long 72nd Van Mahotsav at Garbhanga reserve forest on the outskirts of Guwahati on Thursday. Inaugurating the week-long plantation drive at a function organised by the Forest department, Minister Suklabaidya made a clarion call to everyone to participate in the Van Mahotsav by planting saplings to make Guwahati, the gateway to the Northeast Region, and the State as a whole green and verdant. “Let’s plant saplings in a big way to protect our environment and make it pollution free,” he quipped.

The Minister urged people to make tree plantation an intrinsic part of their lives and make it a daily habit. “Only then will we be able to make the environment cleaner and greener and deal with the problem of pollution. The government has already started working to make Assam pollution free. The people of the state should participate in the Van Mahotsav so that we all can get rid of pollution,” Suklabaidya added.

MP, Guwahati, Queen Ojha, MLA, West Guwahati, Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro), Biswajit Pegu, President, BJP, Guwahati City District, Mrigen Sarania, PCCF and HoFF, Alaka Bhargav, PCCF Wildlife, Amit Sahay, Chairman, PCB, Suryanarayana Y, Commissioner of Guwahati Police, M.Upadhyay and other dignitaries.

In another programme held at Hembarua High School premises at Ghoramari in Sonitpur district, Suklabaidya urged the people to take part in Van Mahotsav, 2021 with full enthusiasm to make the State beautiful, clean and green. He made a plea to the people to plant at least two saplings to expand the green cover in the state.
“Trees and forests play a very crucial role in maintaining an ecological balance and providing us oxygen to human beings on the planet and keeping us alive,” he said, adding, Van Mahotsav week aims to bring more and more people together to grow and save forests.

He said people of the state love nature and it’s part of our tradition to worship and respect nature – its flora and fauna. “Love of nature in all its manifestations must permeate our lives to make the world a better place to live in,” he opined. Suklabaidya said the greatest gift the people can give to the future generations is by planting trees and keeping the environment clean and green. The Minister said during the week-long celebrations all the forest divisions have planned a series of activities and programme looking to involve all stakeholders in the ongoing plantation drive.

Suklabaidya said the Forest department has planted 10 crore saplings in the last five years and planning to triple the figures in the next five years. “Two and a half crore saplings will be planted in the degraded forest areas during this year under APFBC project and CAMPA,” he added. He said massive deforestation took place prior to 2016 and the previous and present BJP led dispensations have had taken a slew of initiatives to expand the green cover.

He said that all out conservation efforts would be made for Sonai-Rupai wildlife sanctuary. Suklabaidya assured that steps would be taken to minimise the man-elephant conflicts in Sonitpur district and in other parts of the state. Suklabaidya said unlike in the past, the present government will provide ex-gratia to the kith of those killed in conflicts with animals immediately. He said the department along with other stakeholders to pitch in their efforts to make Assam a pollution free state.

MP, Tezpur, Pallab Lochan Das, MLA, Rangapara, DC, Sonitpur, Director, Kaziranga National Park, DFOs, forest officials, BJP District President and other stakeholders were present. Earlier, the Minister planted saplings in an open field and also distributed saplings on the occasion.

Van Mahotsav or Forest Festival is an annual tree-planting festival celebrated in the month of July in which thousands of trees are planted all over the country. Van Mahotsav week is celebrated from 1 July to 7 July to spread awareness of forest conservation and to save the environment. Van Mahotsav week started way back in 1950 is celebrated in India to encourage people to plant more and more trees. Trees contribute to the production of food resources, maintain ecological balance, improve air quality, climate amelioration, conserves water, preserves soil, supports wildlife, reduces drought and prevents soil erosion and pollution.