Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has pledged to transform environmental protection into a widespread initiative involving around 17,000 ‘Vriksh Mitra’ from all over the country. Chouhan outlined a detailed plan to convert environmental conservation into a tangible mass campaign based on feedback and discussions with ‘Vriksh Mitra’.
He announced that each family would plant a tree during significant events such as birthdays, anniversaries, childbirth, and in memory of loved ones, turning these occasions into ‘Tree Festivals’ to establish a tradition in every household. Additionally, every ‘Vriksh Mitra’ will plant at least one tree annually and commit to engaging at least five new participants in this movement.
Chouhan suggested establishing ‘Vriksh Mitra Pariwar’ committees at national, state, district, block, and village levels to coordinate the campaign systematically. These committees would be officially registered, and designated sites for tree planting in villages and urban areas would be identified, linking tree planting with auspicious events and government initiatives.
Speaking at the ‘Environment Protection Resolve Programme and Vriksh Mitra Samvad’ held at Pusa Complex in New Delhi, the minister emphasized that the environmental crisis is not just an ecological issue but a threat to human survival. He highlighted the dangers posed by rising sea levels, climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity, stressing the urgency of taking action to avert a bleak future beyond 2050.
