New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Kuljeet Singh Chahal, Vice Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), on Sunday led the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation drive at Laxmibai Nagar with active participation from area residents, who included government employees.

“The plantation of saplings is a reflection of our culture ethos and respect towards mother nature,” Chahal said, building a parallel between a mother nurturing her children and residents taking care of saplings.

As participants planted saplings and pledged to care for and protect them, the NDMC Vice Chairman said the initiative is inspired by the call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, which encourages citizens to plant a tree in honour of their mothers and nurture it with responsibility and commitment.

He said that women, children and members of the Residents’ Welfare Association, participated with enthusiasm in the initiative.

Chahal noted that the active participation of women in the drive also triggered discussion on Women Reservation Bill, with many of them hailing PM Modi’s efforts to end the 40-yar wait for women quota.

He led the plantation drive at Tikona Park near Laxmibai Nagar Market in Laxmibai Nagar.

On this occasion, Resident Welfare Association (RWA) President Rajesh Kumar Meena, along with a large number of residents of Laxmibai Nagar, was present and enthusiastically participated in the plantation drive.

Chahal told that NDMC has prepared a “Green Calendar” for the entire year, under which tree plantation drives will be organised every Sunday in different areas of the NDMC jurisdiction.

“To ensure the success of this campaign, the Horticulture, Health, Civil and Sanitation Departments of NDMC will work in coordination so that scientific plantation, proper maintenance, and monitoring of the saplings can be ensured, enabling them to grow into sustainable green spaces in the future,” he said.

“Earlier on March 1, Chahal led ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation at Gandhi Sadan in the NDMC Housing Complex at Mandir Marg, with active participation from area residents,” an official said.

“Addressing the gathering, the NDMC Vice Chairman emphasised that the campaign is being implemented in mission mode to ensure maximum expansion of green cover across the NDMC area,” according to an official statement.

He said the drive has been actively carried out in embassies and diplomatic missions within the NDMC jurisdiction, as well as in universities, colleges and schools, and in commercial and residential areas with the participation of Market Traders Associations (MTAs) and RWAs.

The objective is to reach every corner of the NDMC area in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ and to ensure plantation wherever required for a cleaner and greener urban environment, Chahal added.

He reiterated that public participation is the greatest strength of the campaign.

He appealed to citizens, institutions and organisations to actively join the green movement and contribute towards making New Delhi cleaner, greener and environmentally responsible.

–IANS

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