Every Citizen Should Plant at Least 15 Saplings to Make Environmental Protection a People’s Movement: Manohar Lal

Panipat, August 17: Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal called upon every citizen to plant at least 15 saplings during the ongoing monsoon season and make environmental conservation a people’s movement. He said protecting the environment is not merely the responsibility of the government but a collective duty of every citizen.

Manohar Lal was speaking as the chief guest at the 77th Van Mahotsav programme organised by the Forest Department and District Administration at Officers’ Colony in Panipat on Monday, where he planted saplings along with Deputy Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar Vashishth and other administrative officials. The Deputy Commissioner welcomed the Union Minister with a bouquet and presented him with a sapling.

The Union Minister said trees and plants are essential not only for human beings but for all living creatures. Maintaining environmental balance is therefore a collective responsibility. He appreciated the district administration’s target of planting more than one lakh saplings across Panipat and said the campaign could bring about a positive change in the district’s environment.

Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, Manohar Lal said the crisis made people realise the importance of oxygen like never before. The serious challenges related to the availability of oxygen during the pandemic should serve as a lesson and encourage people to make environmental protection a part of their everyday lives. He said oxygen plants were also established in Panipat and Hisar during that period.

Calling upon young people to take an active part in the plantation drive, the Union Minister said the youth could play a crucial role in transforming environmental conservation into a mass movement. He also stressed that the campaign should not end with plantation alone, and that proper care and protection of the saplings must be ensured until they grow into trees.

Deputy Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar Vashishth said the district administration would take the campaign forward and work towards making Panipat greener and environmentally healthier. He said a target of planting more than one lakh saplings has been set for the district, with large-scale plantation activities planned throughout the monsoon season.

The Deputy Commissioner said the objective was not merely to plant saplings but to ensure that every sapling survives and grows into a tree. Schools, social organisations, voluntary groups, youth and citizens would be involved to turn environmental conservation into a participatory campaign. He urged people to plant saplings and take responsibility for their regular care.

He also called upon all district-level officers to promote plantation activities and ensure proper maintenance of the plants. He said environmental protection is not only an immediate necessity but also a responsibility towards future generations.

During the programme, Manohar Lal, Dr. Harish Kumar Vashishth and other administrative officials planted saplings and pledged to contribute towards environmental conservation. Corporation Commissioner Dr. Pankaj, SP Bhupendra Singh, SDM Mandeep Kumar, DCF Patil Deepak Prabhakar, District Education Officer Rakesh Boora, MP Representative Gajendra Saluja, plantation campaign coordinator Advocate Sandeep Jindal, Vibhu Poliwal, Hema Raman, Mukesh Kumar, Sumit Mittal, Jagdish Dhamija, Tushar Chawla, Dhananjay Singla and students from various schools, including Scouts and NCC cadets, were present.