Haryana’s Energy, Transport & Labour Minister, Anil Vij said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the campaign “Ek Ped Maa ke Naam” has been launched. He emphasized that every word of the Prime Minister carries deep meaning. “Ek Ped Maa ke Naam” reflects that the same affectionate bond a child shares with his mother must also be our emotional bond with trees. Just as a mother nurtures, loves, and protects her child, we must nurture and protect trees, and if any harm comes to them, we must safeguard.
Vij was addressing as the Chief Guest at the District-Level Van Mahotsav organized at Gandhi Ground, Ambala Cantt. He said that “Trees are essential for life; trees give us air, and from air comes life. The healthier the air, the longer our lifespan. To make the earth green, while we must plant more trees, conserving them is even more important.”
On this occasion, Minister Anil Vij along with Municipal Council officials and others planted Kadamba saplings. He said that “The Kadamba tree is significant because Lord Shri Krishna performed his divine plays under it, played his flute, and spent time with cows. Whoever plants this tree will be reminded of Shri Krishna’s leelas.”
*“Development has snatched the earth’s green cover, which we must return” – Vij*
The Minister added that “Greenery is an integral part of life. Earlier, trees dominated the earth and open fields, but due to development projects and large-scale construction, their space has been taken away. What has been taken must be returned. To keep the ecological balance intact, we must plant more and more trees.” He also distributed saplings as symbols of environment among councillors and BJP workers, urging them to ensure tree plantation and conservation in every ward and village.
*“Trees – the greatest gift of nature to humanity” – Vij*
Vij further said that for mankind, trees are nature’s greatest gift – they give us fruits, flowers and medicinal value. The bark of trees like Arjun is used to treat heart ailments, and many other medicines come from trees. “Trees give us free oxygen. Without trees, life on earth would become extremely difficult. Our atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and other gases like ozone. If the ozone layer is destroyed and sun rays fall directly on earth, survival would become nearly impossible. Hence, we must plant more trees and make our planet green.”
*Children rewarded for environmental awareness programs*
During the program, students presented songs and street plays on environmental conservation. Minister Anil Vij announced an incentive of Rs. 2100 from his discretionary fund for each participating child. Quiz competition winners were also felicitated with certificates and Rs. 2100 each. The Minister also administered an oath to all attendees to plant and conserve trees.
On this occasion, the DFO presented a symbolic sapling to the Chief Guest. Earlier, Minister Anil Vij was welcomed with flowers by DFO Rakesh Kumar Mathur and SDM Vineesh Kumar.
The program was attended by SDM Vineesh Kumar, DFO Rajesh Mathur, EO Devender Narwal, Municipal Council Chairperson Swarn Kaur, Vice-Chairperson Lalita Prasad, BJP leaders Vikas Behl, Ravi Buddhiraja, Harsh Bindra, Pravesh Sharma, B.S. Bindra, Sanjeev Soni, Ajay Baveja, Rajeev Gupta Dimple, Kiranpal Chauhan, Tarvinder Singh, Subhash Sharma, Baljit Nagpal, Bharat Bhushan Kochhar, Naresh Sharma, Puneet Sarpal, Madan Lal Sharma, Vijender Chauhan, Aarti Sehgal, Rambabu Yadav, Fakir Chand Saini, Balwinder Singh, Balkesh Vats, Billu Rana, Madan Lal Sharma, Shyam Sunder Arora, and a large number of officials and party workers.
