Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, joined a tree planting drive in Dehradun on Wednesday, as part of the Harela festival celebrations. The event, held at the Gorkha Military Inter College Campus, centered around the theme of environmental responsibility. Dhami, after offering his best wishes to everyone, planted a Rudraksha plant. He stated that Harela is deeply rooted in the culture of Uttarakhand. A target has been set to plant about 5 lakh saplings on the day of the festival. The government is aiming to plant 50% fruit trees in each division of the Forest Department. Dhami also noted that ensuring saplings grow into trees is a priority. He mentioned national environmental initiatives and the target of planting 108 crore saplings nationwide. The ‘Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA)’ is involved in environmental protection. The state has banned single-use plastics and mandated the use of dustbins in vehicles. Dhami encouraged people to plant trees and care for them. Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal stated that the festival is being celebrated in many places across the state and pointed to the high survival rate of the plants planted previously. The minister also mentioned the importance of ongoing efforts in plantation and water conservation.
