School nursery concept to raise awareness on trees: Prakash Javadekar

RAIPUR: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today said a concept of school nursery will be introduced in the country to make the children aware about the importance of plantation and trees in human life.

"School nursery concept will be introduced in schools," the MoS (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forest told reporters after participating in the 'Harihar Chhattisgarh Afforestation Campaign-2015' at the Botanical Gardens in Naya Raipur.

Under the concept, children from standard 7th to 9th will be offered seeds for sowing and small saplings for plantation during their admission. They will be asked to take care of it in the school premises during their academic session for a year, he said.

Subsequently, the saplings developed from the seeds and plants will be distributed among students at the time they pass final exams along with their results, so that they can further plant it at their homes, streets, forests or other places, to make their surroundings green, he said.

Earlier, Javadekar along with Chief Minister Raman Singh launched the 'Harihar Chhattisgarh' afforestation programme by planting saplings at the Botanical Gardens. The first plant was named after former President late APJ Abdul Kalam.

Under the campaign, the Chhattisgarh government has planned to plant two crore saplings in the entire state and five lakh in the capital today itself. The target is to plant 10 crore saplings during the entire mission.

Addressing a huge gathering of school children and people during the programme, Javdekar appreciated their participation in the statewide afforestation mission.

"I have seen many types of 'andolan' but this is the first time I am witnessing the afforestation 'andolan'," he said adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on World Environment Day given a call to plant 125 crore saplings in the entire country.

There are about 2.5 crore citizens in Chhattisgarh, who they have an ambitious plans to plant 10 crore saplings, he added.

Highlighting the importance of trees, he said, "People should consider trees also as their property like they do so in case of houses, TVs, vehicles and protect them."

He informed that the Centre had set apart about Rs 98,000 crore to convert the entire country into a 'Greenland'.

On the occasion, CM Raman Singh said 'Harihar Chhattisgarh' Mission is being carried out on a massive scale in the state keeping in view that as long as trees are there, there is prosperity and peace. If there is no greenery there is no human life.

About 500 varieties of saplings were planted at the Botanical Gardens, which is spread over 416 acres and touted as one of the largest gardens in South Asia.