DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday emphasised the importance of planting trees for a clean environment and also urged everyone to plant at least one tree.

He said a greater number of trees would lead to a cleaner environment.

The Chief Minister planted the tree under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign at Radha Soami Dera Sikanderpur in Sirsa district on the occasion of Guru Purnima. The campaign aims to protect the environment and prevent pollution through tree planting.

The Chief Minister, along with Radha Soami Dera volunteers, planted 20,000 saplings to send a message against environmental pollution.

He expressed pleasure that the sect is participating in initiatives for both human welfare and environmental protection and also praised the efforts of the volunteers.

He emphasised the need to focus on environmental purity alongside serving humanity.

"Trees and forests play a significant role in keeping the soil fertile for agriculture. Therefore, it is essential to plant more trees, develop forests, and protect the plants. The more trees there are, the cleaner our environment will be," the Chief Minister said.

He noted that the continuous rise in temperature is partly due to excessive tree-cutting.

He added that environmental imbalance is a cause for concern and highlighted the importance of the tree-planting campaign. A pure environment leads to a healthy individual, and a healthy individual contributes to the nation's progress.

The Chief Minister announced the state government would appoint 50,000 'Van Mitras' to protect the environment. The scheme aims to empower local communities to play an active role in expanding the state's green cover, thereby enhancing the survival rate of newly planted trees and promoting the planting of trees outside traditional forest zones.

They will be compensated Rs 20 per tree by the government. Similarly, under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, Van Mitras will receive Rs 10 per tree for maintaining the planted saplings.
(editor@dailyworld.in)