By Tania Saili Bakshi
Satyu, Tehri Garhwal, 10 Feb: Earth Day Network along with Sustainable Green Initiative, a six year old social enterprise that has been planting fruit trees to fight hunger, poverty, and climate change. It helped plant 15,000 fruit trees in the villages on the periphery of Saklana Village, Tehri, today.
Saplings of fruit trees such as apricot, walnut, plum, pear and lemon were distributed among hill-folks from over a dozen villages on the occasion of Basant Panchami, the day that marks the beginning of spring.
The distribution centre was set up at the Shahid Nagendra Dutt Saklani Govt Inter College, Satyu, from where villagers will go on to plant these in their farmlands and homesteads.
“We are fortunate to be a part of the tree story in the very area that gave the world Vriksha Manav Vishweshwar Dutt Saklani,” stated Karuna Singh, Country Director, Earth Day Network.
Saklana commands special reverence when it comes to tree plantation as this was home to Visheshwar Dutt Saklani or Tree Man who breathed his last on 28 January, this year. The veteran regenerated over hundred hectares of barren forest area with Oak trees, with a rough estimate putting the number at fifty lakhs. Raj Mohan, Director, Sustainable Green Initiative (SGI) added, “This day has become doubly important and auspicious since we are where the Vriksha Manav worked his magic. We dedicate our efforts to him.”
Sustainable Green Initiative will not only aid and assist villagers to plant but also nurture these fruit trees. It is an attempt to no only increase green cover but also provide nutrition and secondary income to those who plant, by selling fruits from these trees.
A befitting tribute to Vriksha Manav and that too at the onset of Spring!
