Dehradun: A “Plantation Drive” under the major program “Green City Abhiyaan” was organized at Moksh Dham, Selaqui, Dehradun by Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), a Doon-based NGO with the support of Sharon Bio-Medicine Ltd., Dehradun. Ms. Pratima Menon, Chairperson Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, along with other eminent people namely Sehdev Pundir, MLA Sahaspur Vidhan Sabha, Balkrishna Sehgal, Adhyakash, Moksh Dham, Bhajan Singh Arya, Administrative Officer, Municipal Corporation, Former Pradhans Bhagat Singh Rathore and Vijay Pal Barthawal, Puran Singh Chauhan, ex-panchayat member, Santosh Dutt, Botanist and expert in farming, and Manoj Mamgain, Human Resource Manager, Sharon Bio- Medicine Ltd. and Mamta Thakur a Social Worker, were major guests at the inaugural event of the Grren City Abhiyaan.
During the Plantation drive around 200 trees of different varieties such as ashoka, sal, bel, teak, peepal, bamboo, juniperus, and some flower varieties were planted. The IEC material related to trees and soil conservation was distributed by a team of volunteers, which educated the people about the need to promote a greener environment around us. A presentation was conducted to inform the people about the benefits of afforestation. After the plantation drive, a formal discussion was also carried out on topics related to environmental and tree conservation.
A quiz conducted at the end, captured the interest of the local people. A selfie booth was placed as an attraction during the event to raise awareness on ‘saving trees’.The Chief Guest Sehdev Pundir, MLA Sahaspur Vidhan Sabha said “I feel the need for such initiatives and we should seek inspiration from the work of grassroot organizations like RLEK. It is time, we should focus not only on planting trees but also taking good care of them for their long-term sustenance.” He also showed his full support for such future programs.
Pratima Menon, Chairperson, RLEK expressed her views on the occasion. She said “This event is a part of a broader vision and commitment. Investment in environment is like investing in education; the more you spend your time working for it, the more it grows.” She also thanked the Moksh Dham Samiti for their cooperations.
Manoj Mamgain, HR Manager, Sharon Bio-Medicine Ltd., said “It is the responsibility of any company to contribute towards societal development. We are doing the same from our side.” He also praised the work done by RLEK in the past. BJP representative, Anil Nautiyal said that someone walks a path and someone creates it. The path for tree plantation has to be created through community work. 8 states of India are predicted to change greatly within the next 50 years which is why such an initiative is important. He further thanked RLEK for choosing the Gram Panchayat Selaqui for the program.
Avdhesh Sharma, one of the core members of RLEK said “Both Buddha and Newton gained knowledge under a tree (green gold). We get all our necessities from trees; they have a special relevance in our lives. Through community movement change has been brought into the environment even in the past. The same legacy should be carried out in the present too.” It is to be noted that climate change has become a major challenge for city dwellers.
Considering this, the organization has previously done immense work in the field of environmental conservation which includes the formulation of Environment Protection Act of 1986. The organization has also been given a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations for having competence in empowering indigenous groups, marginalized populations, women and children in claiming their entitlements.
