STATE TIMES NEWS
KATHUA: DDC Chairman Col Mahan Singh along with Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Rahul Yadav on Wednesday started plantation drive at the Government College for Women (GCW), Kathua in connection with Van Mahotsav by planting a sapling in the college premises.
The tree plantation drive was launched by the Social Forestry Department in connection with Van Mahotsav in which around 200 saplings of different species were planted.
Speaking on the occasion, Col Mahan Singh appreciated the role of the Social Forestry Department in increasing the Green cover of the Union Territory and emphasised the need to carry out more such plantation drives for a clean and healthy environment and meeting the needs of the local people. He said that people must plant trees and contribute back to the environment for the benevolence of J&K’s ecological affairs. He said trees provide a healthy and quality environment to the people, adding that it is the duty of each one to plant trees in and around their areas. He informed that about two-lakh saplings would be planted across the Kathua district.
The DDC Chairman emphasized that the people should come forward and extend all possible help in the planting of more and more trees thus protecting green wealth for the survival of mankind. He appealed to the people to play their vital role by extending cooperation in promotion of plantation drives for the overall good of the society. He also encouraged students to plant more trees and take care of their plantations thereafter and said; plants should be grown to keep the environment green, clean, safe and healthy. He stressed upon the students not only should be connected with the sapling plantation but should also create awareness which is a key factor to encourage citizens to protect the environment by planting trees.
The Deputy Commissioner said that this plantation drive not only will contribute to the well-being of the environment but also sensitize students about the importance of tree plantation and environmental conservation. He hoped that such initiatives will contribute to make our society greener and healthier.
The Deputy Commissioner exhorted upon the officials of Social Forestry Department to put maximum efforts in achieving the set targets by organising such plantation drives throughout the monsoon season in different areas.
Among those who were present include Director Social Forestry Department, Roshan Jaggi; Regional Director Social Forestry Mohinder Gupta, DFO Kathua Munish Gupta; DDC member Kumari Shweta, BDC Chairpersons Raghubir Singh and Khajan Chand; District President, BJP Kathua unit, Gopal Mahajan and BJP Mandal President Rajinder Bakshi.