Green Initiative for Greater Guwahati launched

GUWAHATI, July 7: Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit handed credence to the valediction of the 68th Va Mahotsava on Friday when he iugurated the Green Initiative for Greater Guwahati Programme by planting saplings and distributing them to school students at a function to mark the end of 68th Va Mahotsava at MG Road Kharguli. 

The programme entails plantation of saplings along the city roads, on the premises of educatiol institutions, government and non-government offices, and reserve forests to increase the green cover of the city.

Speaking at the function, the Governor appealed to everybody to take a pledge to increase the green coverage of the city by planting more saplings as trees can only sustain lives of future generations. He said, “Trees are the precondition of existence of human beings”. He also hailed the initiative of the Environment and Forest Department along with other line departments, NGOs and other stakeholders for taking the Green Guwahati Project.

Lauding the endeavour of the Forest Department which also conceived of a project mely Avenue Plantation Programme from Kaliabor Tri-junction to Numaligarh which was iugurated by Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal on July 1 synchronizing with the 68th Va Mahotsava at Kaliabor, Purohit said that these saplings would augur well in securing future of the next generation. He also asked Environment and Forest Department to ensure corresponding actions for the sustence of the saplings.

Referring to a sloka (canto) from Pura, the Governor said that ‘one tree is equivalent to 10 sons’ and urged the people at large to plant saplings and contribute to increase the green cover of the environment and facilitate development in sync with the ture. He also requested the media fraternity to play a pivotal role for spreading awareness for tree plantation.

State Environment and Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma also underlined the importance of tree plantation drives and said that since Guwahati is the gateway of Northeast, major plantation drives are being taken to enhance the glitz and grandeur of the city.

East Guwahati MLA   Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Additiol Chief Secretary Environment & Forest Department KV Eapen, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Bikash Brahma, GMDA Chairman Dhiren Baruah, along with a host of other dignitaries, were also present at the function.