Aravali hills conservation is a shared responsibility: Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini

Calling for greater public participation in environmental conservation, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday urged every family in the state to plant at least one tree and take responsibility for nurturing it, saying the success of plantation drives would be measured not by the number of saplings planted but by how many survive and grow into trees.Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini launched the second phase of the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav at Manesar. (@NayabSainiBJP)Launching the second phase of the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav at Manesar, the chief minister said environmental conservation was not merely a government programme but a moral responsibility of every citizen. The first phase was launched in Karnal on July 30.The state has set a target of planting 1.40 crore saplings during the current financial year under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.The event, presided over by Haryana Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh, was attended by Union environment, forest and climate change minister Bhupender Yadav as the chief guest.Saini said that similar plantation programmes would now be organised across all 90 assembly constituencies of Haryana to transform the campaign into a mass public movement.Also Read:Activists raises concerns over Aravalli panel’s grassroot reach, consultation timelineHighlighting the ecological significance of the Aravali hills, Saini said the ancient mountain range had protected biodiversity, conserved water resources and provided clean air for generations.“If the Aravalis could speak, they would ask what we are leaving behind for future generations in return for everything they have given us. Van Mahotsav is our opportunity to answer that question,” he said.The chief minister said Haryana has already developed 75 Namo Parks and is establishing Oxy Vans in every district headquarters with walking tracks, cycling tracks and recreational facilities.He said Panchvati plantations are being developed across villages and at 134 pilgrimage sites in the 48-Kos Kurukshetra region, while 58 herbal parks have been created to conserve medicinal plants.Saini also highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen community participation in afforestation through 610 Van Mitras, who are assisting in protecting saplings and expanding the state’s green cover.He added that 5,360 heritage trees are being protected under the Pran Vayu Devta Scheme, with annual financial assistance of ₹3,000 per tree for their conservation.Union minister Yadav said Haryana had emerged as a model for environmental conservation in the National Capital Region through sustained efforts to restore the Aravalli ecosystem, expand green cover and improve biodiversity.“Gurugram is no longer recognised only for its industrial and economic growth. The Aravalis, Sultanpur Wetland and other natural ecosystems are becoming its environmental identity,” he said.Forest minister Rao Narbir Singh said that plantation campaigns succeed only when saplings are protected until they become trees.“Small behavioural changes, when adopted collectively, can make a significant contribution towards building a greener and more sustainable Haryana,” he said.