PM Modi launches ‘a tree for mother’ drive on Environment Day in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday kicked off World Environment Day celebrations in the Capital by launching the tree plantation campaign Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (one tree for mother) at Buddha Jayanti Park.

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5 with the aim of increasing awareness and action for the protection of the environment. This year’s theme is land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.

In a series of posts on X, Modi called upon people across the world to plant a tree in the coming days.

“This morning, I planted a tree in line with our commitment to protecting Mother Nature and making sustainable lifestyle choices. I urge you all to also contribute to making our planet better… It would make you all very happy that in the last decade, India has undertaken numerous collective efforts which have led to increased forest cover across the nation. This is great for our quest towards sustainable development. It is also commendable how local communities have risen to the occasion and taken a lead in this,” he posted.

Separately, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena planted saplings at the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)-operated Astha Kunj park at Nehru Place. Over 100 native species, including arjun, gulmohar and jamun were planted at the nearly 200-acre park.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai, who planted saplings of native trees at Civil Lines, said the city’s residents can keep their homes cool and protected by simply ensuring there were plants on rooftops.

“Now that land for planting trees in Delhi is decreasing, so on a personal level, we should all try to make the rooftops of our houses green as well. This will protect us from heatwaves and also help with air pollution,” he said, adding that the Delhi government is committed to greening the city, and has planted over 20 million saplings in the last four years.

Meanwhile, experts called for the need to not only restore the degraded Aravallis in order to protect Delhi from future desertification and dust storms. Faiyaz Khudsar, scientist in-charge of the Biodiversity Parks Programme in Delhi, said an attempt to restore the Aravallis is an important solution to arrest desertification around Delhi, adding that species like kair and dhau were deep-rooted trees and can help prevent soil erosion, while adding to the green cover.