 Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, Aug 7: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that environmental conservation is not merely a government programme but a moral responsibility of every citizen. Calling upon every family in the state to contribute towards protecting nature, he urged people to plant at least one tree and take responsibility for its care and survival. The Chief Minister was addressing the inaugural session of the second phase of the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav organised at Manesar in Gurugram on Friday. The event was presided over by Haryana Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, while Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav attended the programme as the Guest of Honour. During the programme, the Chief Minister visited an exhibition set up at the venue and participated in a plantation drive. He also administered a pledge to the gathering to plant a tree under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign and motivate others to do the same. On the occasion, he released the Forest Department's publication 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' and the latest edition of 'Haryana Forest News'. He also felicitated winners from Gurugram district who excelled in essay writing, painting and various other competitions organised on the theme 'Harit Haryana', encouraging their contribution towards environmental awareness. Referring to the Aravali mountain range, the Chief Minister said that if the Aravalis could speak, they would ask what future generations intend to leave behind in return for the clean air, water conservation and rich biodiversity they have provided for thousands of years. He said Van Mahotsav offers an opportunity to answer that question. It is not merely a plantation drive, but a campaign to repay our debt to nature and make environmental conservation a people's movement rooted in social values, he said. |
