Bareilly: The Forest and Wildlife Division, Bareilly, organised a large-scale plantation programme under Vriksharopan Mahayagya 2026, bringing together public representatives, government officials, forest personnel, security forces, students and citizens in a collective effort to promote environmental conservation and strengthen Uttar Pradesh’s green cover.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Diksha Bhandari, who highlighted the significance of the state government’s mass plantation campaign and emphasised that public participation is the key to its success. She urged citizens not only to plant saplings but also to ensure their long-term care and protection.
The chief guest, Uttar Pradesh Minister for Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry Dharampal Singh, said trees are not merely vital for environmental conservation but also form the foundation of a secure and prosperous future for coming generations. Appreciating the state government’s extensive afforestation initiative, he called upon people to actively participate by planting more trees and nurturing them.
Several public representatives also addressed the gathering, including Bareilly Mayor Dr Umesh Gautam, MLC Kunwar Maharaj Singh, MLC Bahoran Lal Maurya, Zila Panchayat Chairperson Rashmi Patel, and Cantt MLA Sanjeev Agrawal. They stressed the need to transform environmental conservation into a people’s movement and encouraged every citizen to become a stakeholder in the campaign.
One of the highlights of the event was a thought-provoking street play performed by schoolchildren on the theme of environmental protection, which received widespread appreciation from the audience. The Forest Department, in collaboration with WWF, also organised informative exhibitions showcasing biodiversity conservation, climate change awareness, wildlife protection and local handicrafts.
A Mahayagya accompanied by Vedic chanting added a spiritual dimension to the event, reinforcing the message of harmony between nature and society.
The programme culminated in a large-scale plantation drive in which ministers, elected representatives, senior administrative officials, forest officers, personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), schoolchildren and local residents planted saplings together and pledged to protect and nurture them.
Concluding the programme, District Magistrate Avinash Singh thanked all participants and supporting organisations, stating that environmental conservation is a shared responsibility and that the success of plantation campaigns depends equally on the survival and maintenance of planted saplings.
The event was organised under the guidance of the Forest and Wildlife Division, Bareilly, with active participation from multiple government departments, voluntary organisations, educational institutions and members of the public.
Among those present were Chief Conservator of Forests, Rohilkhand Zone P.P. Singh, Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Maurya, SP City Manush Parik, Additional District Magistrate (Administration) Purnima Singh, ITBP Commandant S. Jha, Junior Leader Academy Subedar Avtar Chauhan, Executive Engineer Rajeev Kumar Rathi, District Information Officer Neetu Kannaujia, climate expert Pranjul Sharma, environmental activist Bhavana Singh (Nature Mitra), Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Aonla Vimal Kishore Bhardwaj, Regional Forest Officer Bareilly Vaibhav Chaudhary, Regional Forest Officer Faridpur Rishi Kumar, Regional Forest Officer Aonla Hanuman Prasad, along with other forest department officials and distinguished guests.
Reported from Bareilly by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena.
