Ahmedabad, July 17 (IANS) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha’s tree plantation initiative has “not ended” with the planting of 1.25 crore saplings but has instead entered its most important phase, as he called for sustained efforts to ensure every sapling survives and grows into a mature tree.

Shah made the remarks while chairing a review meeting of coordinators of the ‘Gandhinagar Lok Sabha – Green Lok Sabha’ campaign in Ahmedabad.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, and elected representatives and BJP office-bearers from the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency were present at the meeting.

The review followed the recent mass plantation campaign inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.

The campaign, aimed at transforming the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency into a greener region, was part of a plantation drive that organisers said earned a place in the Guinness World Records.

Addressing campaign coordinators, Shah thanked party workers, organisations and citizens for helping achieve the target of planting 1.25 crore trees, but stressed that the focus must now shift to their long-term survival.

“I sincerely thank everyone who helped take the ‘Gandhinagar Lok Sabha Hariali Lok Sabha’ campaign to every household and fulfilled the resolve of planting trees. However, the campaign has not ended with the planting of 1.25 crore trees; it has only just begun,” Shah said.

He said the saplings must now be nurtured so that, over the next 50 to 100 years, they grow into large trees capable of providing shade, clean air, and helping to reduce temperatures.

During the meeting, Shah reviewed the plantation work carried out so far and emphasised the need for proper care and maintenance of every sapling to ensure the highest possible survival rate.

He said systematic efforts were required so that all the planted saplings grow into fully developed trees.

Appealing to campaign workers, Shah said: “They should view the responsibility of nurturing the trees not as a political programme but as a religious and social duty.”

Referring to a verse from the ‘Matsya Purana’, Shah said planting and nurturing a tree was considered a highly virtuous act. “Society followed such teachings by preserving and growing trees; challenges such as global warming might not have emerged in their present form,” he said.

Shah also noted his party was not merely an organisation focused on elections but one engaged in public service, adding that “ensuring the successful growth of the newly planted trees would be among its most meaningful service activities”.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the plantation campaign had been carried out in the spirit envisioned by Shah and urged participants to maintain the same commitment during the next phase.

“The work of planting trees has been completed. Now we must all fulfil our responsibility of nurturing them and helping them grow,” Patel said.

He added that everyone should take inspiration from Shah and remain determined to ensure the saplings are properly cared for. “Today we must assure Amit Shah that we will discharge the responsibility of nurturing these trees with 100 per cent commitment,” he said.

Patel also said tree plantation was essential not only for human beings but for all living beings, and urged people to remain committed to protecting the environment for future generations.

–IANS

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