By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 11 Jul: For the first time, Harela celebrations in Uttarakhand will be guided by a formal action plan as Forest Panchayats join hands with other departments to make plantation drives more organised and results-oriented. This year’s State-level Harela main event will be held in Almora at the Forest Panchayat level, from where a message of environmental protection and a greener Uttarakhand will be propagated across the state. Government and Forest Panchayats hope that the newly prepared action plan will not only help achieve plantation targets but also provide fresh impetus to sapling conservation and public participation.
While large-scale sapling planting has been a regular feature of Harela, this is the first occasion when Forest Panchayats have prepared an integrated plan that not only lays down a framework for local participation but also spells out the roadmap to achieve targets.
The officials claim that this year, Harela would not be limited to traditional plantation activities but would be implemented through a planned action plan prepared by Forest Panchayats in coordination with various departments. The objective is to make planting drives more effective, participatory and outcome-focused. Under the campaign the State has set an ambitious target of planting about 10 lakh saplings across Uttarakhand.
Until now, different departments organised plantation programmes independently during Harela, but for the first time forest panchayats have drawn up a detailed strategy in consultation with district administration and other departments. The plan includes target-setting, time-bound implementation, local community participation and post-plantation monitoring to improve protection of planted saplings and enhance their survival rates.
A key feature of the campaign is the formation of committees at both state and district levels, with a provision to ensure 50 per cent representation of women. The government believes that active participation of women will strengthen environmental protection as well as public awareness, helping to shape the Harela campaign into a broader social movement.
The Central government’s popular campaign ‘One Tree for Mother’ will be widely linked with the Harela drive. The initiative aims to inspire people to plant a sapling in honour of their mothers and pledge to care for it. Forest panchayats are preparing to carry this message to every village to encourage maximum participation.
To meet the target of around 10 lakh saplings, the action plan addresses sapling availability, selection of planting sites, choosing species suited to local conditions and a time-bound schedule. It also defines an active role for elected representatives and local communities at the village level.
Under the plan district magistrates will be responsible for monitoring and coordinating the campaign at the district level, while officers from various departments will be associated to enable better use of departmental resources and manpower. At village panchayat level, sarpanches and village committees will form an integral part of the campaign to ensure maximum local involvement.
Harela will begin in Uttarakhand on July 16 and the campaign will run for one month. During this period the State will host a range of activities centred on plantation, environmental protection, public awareness and community participation. Schools, non-governmental organisations, women’s groups and local bodies are being roped in to broaden outreach.
