CM leads plantation drive on Harela
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 16 Jul: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami led the state-wide plantation campaign commemorating the Harela festival at Gorkha Military Inter College here today by planting a Rudraksh sapling, symbolising Uttarakhand’s enduring ecological values. Greeting the citizens on the auspicious occasion of Harela, celebrated under the theme “Celebrate Harela, Repay Mother Earth’s Debt”, Dhami described the festival as an embodiment of the state’s cultural consciousness and a solemn reminder of citizens’ duty towards conservation of nature.
On this occasion, the CM also declared a big target of planting nearly 5 lakh saplings this season, with each forest division assigned the responsibility of ensuring that 50 percent of the trees are fruit-bearing. The programme has been designed to involve voluntary organisations, women’s collectives, students, and panchayats to ensure mass participation. Dhami underlined the necessity of not merely planting but sustaining the saplings until maturity, noting that true success lies in consistent upkeep rather than merely achieving numerical milestones. He reiterated that conserving Uttarakhand’s natural heritage is a collective moral obligation.
Aligning with central government policies such as ‘Panchamrit Sankalp’, ‘Net Zero Emission’, ‘Lifestyle for Environment’, and ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, Dhami observed that the initiative reflects India’s broader climate commitments. He claimed that with a national plantation goal of 108 crore saplings this year, Uttarakhand’s contribution is projected to be substantial. The CM also mentioned the establishment of the Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA), which he claimed has conserved more than 6,500 natural water sources and enabled harvesting of over 3.12 million cubic metres of rainwater. Further, legislative measures have accompanied these ecological efforts, including a complete ban on single-use plastics and mandatory installation of dustbins in transport vehicles.
Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal added that this year, the festival is being conducted at 2,389 locations statewide, noting that saplings planted during past Harela celebrations had a survival rate exceeding 80 percent. At the same time, Uniyal expressed alarm at the declining groundwater levels and stressed that afforestation and water conservation must remain continuous efforts, not merely seasonal endeavours.
Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi noted that Harela, observed during Shravan after traditional pujas, has for centuries embodied Uttarakhand’s ecological sensitivity. He stated that the celebration affirms that protecting the environment is both a sacred duty and a vital cultural tradition.
The plantation event witnessed participation of several senior officials and public representatives including MLAs Savita Kapoor and Khajan Das, Dehradun Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, DGP Deepam Seth, PCCF and HoFF Sameer Sinha, along with senior personnel from the Forest Department.
