By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 14 Sept: The entire periphery of Swami Rama Himalayan University campus will be lined with over 3500 trees before long. A tree-planting pledge and commitment was pitched in the campus with fervour in this regard.
The first phase of the plantation to this effect was formally launched by the Vice Chancellor, Dr Vijay Dhasmana, on 13 September, as part of the Namami Gange programme’s Integrated Conservation Mission, and with the participation of the Forest Department of Uttarakhand.
“We know that there is no Planet B. Therefore we at SHRU make it a point to be part of the solution,” stated Dr Dhasmana.
“We cannot live with the hope and expectation that someone else will save the world for us. We have the realisation that the ‘Green Campus Initiative’ has to be a continuing effort at SRHU. This tree plantation drive therefore will reinforce our environmental mandate for the University for all times. When these trees grow fully, they will help reduce the pollution in the area, and provide a beautiful habitat for birds, insects and other species. And importantly it will contribute substantially to augmenting the catchment area of River Ganga,” he underlined.
In the coming months, a fourkilometre long belt will be covered with trees of various species, including Amla, Jamun, Kachnar, Amaltas, Burans, Bedu, Guriyal, Semal, Sal, Tun and many more, stated HP Uniyal, Advisor, SRHU, who helped plan and implement the initiative.
“The forest department will complete the planting of 3,300 trees as per their overall planning and hand them over to SRHU for maintenance,” he disclosed. “We are maintaining a gap of four metres between trees where a pathway is being planned in the memory of Swami Rama, the founder,” he added.
Present on the occasion were faculty members, staff and students.
