Ahmedabad, July 12 (IANS) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said Ahmedabad’s ongoing mass tree plantation campaign could reduce the city’s temperature by at least five per cent over the coming years, as he called for sustained public participation to tackle the effects of climate change and urban warming.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating 101 Oxygen Parks and participating in a large-scale plantation drive, HM Shah said the campaign was intended to create long-term environmental benefits rather than remain a symbolic exercise.

“If Gandhinagar is to become green and Ahmedabad is to become green, it cannot happen without people’s participation. I firmly believe this campaign will reduce our city’s temperature by at least five per cent in the coming years,” he said.

The Union minister said 1.25 crore trees were being planted across the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in a single day, while Ahmedabad’s three parliamentary constituencies were separately carrying out a drive to plant five million trees.

“Around 1.67 lakh citizens had joined the campaign by planting trees in their own residential colonies,” he said.

HM Shah said the movement had gathered momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, urging people to plant a tree in their mother’s name.

He linked the initiative to PM Modi’s principle of “People, Planet and Progress”, saying development and environmental protection must go hand in hand.

Highlighting the environmental rationale behind the campaign, HM Shah said increasing emissions from vehicles and industries had contributed to rising carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide levels, affecting the ozone layer and contributing to higher temperatures.

“If we want the earth to remain habitable four generations from now, then these trees must absorb carbon dioxide as their food. The only way to achieve this is through Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’. Every person should plant one tree and strengthen the ozone layer for future generations,” he said.

He added that the species selected for the campaign were native trees capable of surviving for more than a century while providing habitats and food for birds and supporting biodiversity. “61 new Oxygen Parks had been added to the existing 12 in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, taking the total to 73…,” he said.

He praised the civic body’s preparation of a digital directory containing details such as the location, tree species and facilities at each park to enable citizens to monitor the initiative.

The plantation campaign forms part of Ahmedabad’s broader environmental programme, which also includes expansion of urban forests and oxygen parks alongside civic infrastructure projects inaugurated during Sunday’s event.

–IANS

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