Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon the countrymen to plant ‘one tree in the name of mother’ on World Environment Day on June 5. Environmentalists are worried that global warming in the world is going to create a new crisis for the living world. This crisis has been brought about by human selfishness, so the responsibility of controlling it should also be on humans.
As the constitutional head of the world’s largest democracy, this call of PM Modi should become a mantra for every Indian. After June 5, almost every family is going to get this pride of planting ‘one tree in the name of mother’ with continuous plantation campaign in the state. The total population of UP is 25 crores, we are going to break the record by planting 36.50 crore saplings. In such a situation, three trees are going to be planted in the name of every mother power within a day in UP today.
These things were said by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. At the same time, under the leadership of the CM, a 36.50 crore plantation campaign was launched in Uttar Pradesh in one day (July 20) on Saturday. CM Yogi planted a sapling under ‘Ped Lagao, Ped Bachao Jan Abhiyan-2024’ dedicated to ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ on the call of PM Narendra Modi. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath planted a Harishankari sapling at Saumitra Van, Kukrail River Bank, Ayodhya Road Lucknow. Before this, the CM tied a Raksha Sutra to these plants. With this, a 36.50 crore sapling plantation mega campaign was launched in the state in one day (20 July) under the Tree Plantation Jan Abhiyan-2024 (1st July to 30th September 2024). The CM also observed the proposed action plan for the development of Saumitra Van and also watched a short film related to it.
CM Yogi said that earlier it had become a medium of pollution in the name of Akbarnagar, today Saumitra Van has been formed there in the name of Shri Ram’s younger brother Laxman. I also planted a Harishankari garden. Shakti Van is going to be built on the other side of it. It will become a medium to save the river culture of India. It will guide us in providing new strength with ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’.
CM Yogi said that 50 years ago, Kukrail river used to flow and meet Gomti. After 1984, land mafia started filling it for their selfish interests, due to which this river turned into a drain and became a medium to throw out the drainage of settlements. On one hand, the river was killed and on the other hand, Gomti river was also polluted. Gomti became black after reaching Lucknow.
The state government decided to build a night safari in Kukrail. CM said that encroachment of this area was removed. With the help of administration, LDA rehabilitated 3100 families who had registry by giving them one house each. LDA got it vacated by filing FIR against the land mafia who cheated people by joining the land business and fighting till the Supreme Court.
CM Yogi said that last year, a large area was flooded in October. The flood period lasts from August to mid-September. For the first time, we were forced to face the horror of flood in the first week of July itself. Due to this, 24 districts of UP, with a population of more than 20 lakhs, were affected. Due to excessive rainfall in Nepal and Uttarakhand, these districts were hit by floods.
This is the ill effect of global warming. This time the months of May-June will be remembered for a long time. The temperature here usually remains 42-45, but this time it reached 47-50. This ill effect will also create a water crisis. Somewhere there will be untimely rains and somewhere there will be drought. Due to the changes caused by this, there is a possibility of famine in many places.
CM Yogi said that after the formation of the government in UP in 2017, we started the plantation campaign under the guidance and leadership of the PM. In seven years, the BJP-led government planted 168 crore saplings. When a survey was conducted through a third party inside the state, it was found that 75-80 percent of the trees are still alive and are established as a good garden. Global institutions are also recognizing it. The environment is being damaged by carbon emissions. To protect it, farmers registered themselves with the tree planting campaign. Global institutions inspected their work. Arrangements were made to provide money in the form of carbon credit to 10 such farmers here. The result of the government’s efforts is that the Uttar Pradesh government is receiving a grant of 200 crores for this. These trees also played a big role in stopping carbon emissions. Farmers will get this amount continuously for five years. In the first phase, 25 thousand farmers are being provided the benefit of this facility.
CM Yogi said that everyone is associated with this campaign today. The Governor is expanding this campaign in Sitapur. All the departments of the Uttar Pradesh government are connected with it under the leadership of the Forest Department. Every district, all the ministers, MPs, MLAs, Mayors, Block Pramukhs and public representatives are also connected. There is no dearth of plants in the state. The Forest and Horticulture Department has 50 crore plants and private nurseries have four crore plants. The CM expressed confidence that by evening we will get the good news that Uttar Pradesh has achieved its target. When we are planting ‘one tree in the name of mother’, then it is also our responsibility to save it. If the tree is saved, the environment will also be saved. If the environment is saved, we will be able to avoid the horrors of global warming and heat wave. The alarm bell has rung.
CM Yogi said that Drumstick tree is also being planted in the houses of 56 lakh beneficiaries of PM Awas Yojana. The government in the state has increased the campaign to save heritage trees. We have to save trees more than 100 years old. There is a Kalpavriksha in Barabanki. Its age is 5000 years. It has seen many generations. This tree of Dwapar era is present. Forest Minister Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena welcomed the guests and Principal Chief Forest Conservator- Head of Department Sudhir Kumar Sharma expressed his gratitude. On this occasion, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Dinesh Sharma, Brijlal, Sanjay Seth, MLA OP Srivastava, Dr. Neeraj Bora, Yogesh Shukla, Legislative Council Member Mukesh Sharma, Santosh Singh, Engr. Avnish Singh, Ramchandra Pradhan, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment and Forest) Manoj Kumar Singh etc. were present.
With the aim of awakening the environment among the students, CM Yogi Adityanath presented saplings to students Atul Kumar Anand, Arpit Singh, Shisht Kumar Tiwari, Pallavi Shukla, Akanksha Dubey. The CM urged the students to plant saplings and protect them. By keeping the environment safe, farmers also earn income from carbon credit cards. CM Yogi Adityanath distributed the cheque of the income from this to the farmers. Among the farmers who received the cheque were Thakri Singh, Sitara Chandra, Salim Ahmed, Vijayalakshmi, Vinod Kumar, Ramlotan, Premshankar, Kulwinder Singh Badhwa, Prabha Devi and Vyasmuni Mishra who were felicitated by giving them cheques for the income from Carbon Credit Card.
