Plant trees, not saplings: Bongaigaon’s Briksha Bandhu inspires Assam

OUR CORRESPONDENT

BONGAIGAON: While most plantation drives struggle with low survival rates, 59-year-old Railway employee Uttam Kumar Das of Bongaigaon has achieved a remarkable feat—none of the trees he has planted over the past decade have died.

Das’s journey began in 2008 during a painful chapter of his life. His only son was diagnosed with a fatal illness, prompting frequent visits to Bengaluru for treatment. Though his son later passed away, the city’s lush greenery left a lifelong impression on him.

On World Environment Day that year, Das planted a few saplings outside his office. However, most of his early plantations failed due to grazing animals and poor maintenance. Determined to find a solution, he stopped planting for two years and experimented with a new approach.

In 2014, he started a nursery at his railway quarters, nurturing saplings in large polybags and drums for two to three years before transplanting them. Once they reached six feet or more, he planted them in open spaces. The result was extraordinary—nearly 100% survival.

Following his motto, “Plant trees, not saplings,” Das has grown thousands of Arjuna, Banyan, Gulmohar, mango, jackfruit, olive and other native trees across Bongaigaon and lower Assam. Today, many provide shade to pedestrians, rickshaw pullers and vendors, while also serving as habitats for birds.

Supported by his wife and spending a portion of his salary on the nursery, Das continues to collect seeds and raise new plants. His efforts have earned recognition from the Railways and district administration. Thepeople of Bongaigain knows him as “Briksha Bandhu.” Calling climate change a “global warning,” Das urges everyone to create more “oxygen banks” by planting and protecting trees. Even after retirement, he says, he will continue planting—turning personal grief into a lasting gift for the environment.

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