12.20 crore trees to be planted across Gujarat by September under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 23 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has decided to expand the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign into a public movement and announced that the campaign aims to plant 12.20 crore trees across the state by September 2024, with a total of 17 crore trees by March 2025.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign nationwide to tackle global warming by promoting large-scale tree planting to protect the environment and nature.

The Prime Minister initiated this campaign on World Environment Day, June 5, urging people in India and around the world to plant a tree in honour of their mother or as a tribute to motherhood.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has decided to expand the campaign into a public movement in Gujarat, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision for sustainable development and increased green cover.

CM Patel has finalised the planning for this statewide initiative with the state forest department through a high-level meeting.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation aims to plant 30 lakh trees in 100 days as part of the ‘Mission Three Million Trees’ campaign.

In a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister in Gandhinagar, it was announced that the campaign targets planting 12.20 crore trees across the state by September 2024, with a total of 17 crore trees by March 2025.

It was also reported by the forest department that, according to the ‘Meri LiFE’ portal of the Government of India, Gujarat has planted 4 crore, 3 lakh, and 33 thousand trees across 33 districts.

This achievement has earned the state the second-highest position nationwide. Additionally, it was mentioned that ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign will be extended to taluka and village-level Van Mahotsav during the 75th Van Mahotsav, with 10.50 crore saplings to be distributed.

Prime Minister Modi has also promoted the environmental adaptation lifestyle ‘Mission LiFE.’ Following these eco-friendly principles, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has launched the ‘Mission Three Million Trees’ initiative under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.

AMC has launched a new initiative to plant 30 lakh trees in 100 days. This ambitious project will span approximately 15 to 20 lakh square metres across 48 wards and seven zones of the city.

It is anticipated that this effort will boost Ahmedabad’s green cover by 6 to 8 percent. During the meeting, the Chief Minister suggested involving the public in tree planting activities at various sites, including gardens, ponds, municipality-owned plots, buildings, school complexes, and roadside areas, as well as using the Miyawaki method.

As Gujarat continues to excel in Prime Minister Modi’s campaigns, the Chief Minister has directed relevant departments, including the Forest Department, to ensure meticulous planning for maximising tree planting under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.

The high-level meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Raj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Pankaj Joshi, Principal Secretaries Smt Mona Khandhar, Ashwini Kumar, Sanjiv Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister Smt Avantika Singh, and senior officials from the Forest Department and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

Meanwhile, Gujarat is set to mark the 75th anniversary of ‘Van Mahotsav’ with state-wide events.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will preside over the celebration at Gandhvi village in Devbhumi Dwarka on July 26, 2024.

This year’s festivities honour Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.

The highlight of the event is the inauguration of the 23rd cultural forest, ‘Harsiddhi Van,’ at the historic Harsiddhi Mata Temple in Gandhvi village, Kalyanpur taluka.