|
Celebrating Trees Whenever I see a newspaper I think of the poor trees. As trees they provide beauty,shade and shelter. But as paper all they provide is rubbish - Yehudi Menuhin
rees have been
revered and worshipped in our country throughout history. They have
Trees not only preserve the air quality but also foster it by filtering the air we breathe by removing dust and other particulates. Leaves absorb carbon dioxide from the air and also other air pollutants, such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide and give off oxygen. Trees with larger canopies are able to process more CO2 and release (transpiration) more moisture into the air. Trees and plants also control solar radiation. The leaves are responsible for intercepting, reflecting, absorbing and transmitting solar radiation, thus helping to reduce energy requirement for cooling. Undoubtedly, these trees add to the scenic beauty of a place by providing colour and motif to the landscape. India with over a billion population has almost 300 million people inhabiting 500 major towns and cities. Due to inadequate attention and lack of community awareness and action, most of these towns and cities are unable to cope with the negative impacts of rapid urbanization and modernization. One of the primary problems ailing the environment is rapid deforestation and increasing pollution due to pressures of urbanization. It is therefore imperative that afforestation is taken up on a massive scale. Celebrating festivals such as the Van Mahotsava is an important step in combating the problem. People from all over the country gear up for planting trees at public parks, roads, railway platforms, hospitals, universities, colleges, schools, housing colonies, degraded forest areas, sacred groves around the villages and so on, on this day. People should understand the importance of trees in their lives and the observance of the festival should not descend to a mere ritual. It is not enough to only plant trees. Proper care has to be taken of the saplings and the young trees have to be nurtured. CLEAN-India and Conservation of Greens Just drive around on a rainy day and one will see the trees of Delhi celebrating the monsoon. The green cover of Delhi has never looked so good before. But this has come about with a lot of effort by groups of dedicated children, teachers, environmentalists, CLEAN-India, Fondation Ensemble (a French environment caring foundation) and the Delhi Government. Van mahotsav, a grand celebration of trees and a massive annual drive for planting trees saw over 24,000 trees being planted in Central Ridge, Garhimandu and Rabindra Rangshala in Delhi this season. This year, the festival of trees was marked by a two day celebration organised by CLEAN-India and Department of Environment and Forests, Government of NCT, Delhi on July 29, and August 1, 2006. On the first day, the students presented an exhibition on trees in their neighbourhood and in their schools. The exhibition provided a platform for the students to share their findings and learnings through herbaria, posters, photographs, poems and paintings. The day’s event concluded with an interactive session with experts and prize distribution for the best exhibits This monsoon, school children planted 12,000 native trees like Amla, Imli, Arjun, Barghad, Peepal, Neem, Philkhan, Basendu and several others that adapt easily to the Delhi region and have a high survival rate while supporting the birds, insects, and animals of the ecosystem. Large scale plantation was launched on August 1, 2006 at Rabindra Rangshala, Central Ridge. Hundreds of school children were joined by the Hon’ble Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dikshit and the Minister for Environment and Forests, Shri Raj Kumar Chauhan in planting over a thousand trees native to Delhi. The highlight of the event was the creation of a native tree corner where around 30 native species were planted. Led by the Chief Minister, the children took the pledge to plant and nurture trees that are native to Delhi Ridge. The Van Mohotsava is not a token ritual devoid of meaning. It is a symbol of a consolidated move towards a greener India. It is not just a one day celebration but marks the beginning of mammoth efforts to be undertaken by students to truly give meaning to celebrating the day. q
Ridhima Sud
|
been
given great importance in the ancient scriptures. Trees are not mere
green pillars along the roads. The importance of trees in purifying the
air, as natural resources, maintaining the ecological balance,
preventing soil erosion, as medicines, habitats for faunal species,
providing nutrients to the soil et al are now being widely recognized.