Ujjain: Haritma Abhiyan, a plantation drive along the banks of the Kshipra took off on Tuesday. Saplings of neem, pipal and banyan trees were planted at gaughat area by energy minister Paras Jain, divisional commissioner MB Ojha and Mayor Meena Jonwal in the interests of environment protection, giving ambitious environment protection programme a major boost.
Several NGO and social organisations participated in the plantation drive along with citizens andaround 1000 saplings were planted on the first day of the green drive. During the programme Paras Jain said everything possible would be done in order to bring about a green cover on thebanks of river Kshipra. All available resources along with the required capital will be deployed in the following days for this cause.
The administration has been working on the master plan to prevent the mixing of waste sewage water in the river, he said. He also gave details about the Government’s ambitious Narmada Kshipra river link project, which would helps in adding fresh water into the Kshipra river. Private companies will also help in plantation in accordance with their corporate social responsibility, he added. He also recited a poem which he had written for the occasion.
MB Ojha addressed the gathering and said every possible effort should be put to put a green blanket on the banks of Kshipra River and to restore the old glory of the river. Citizens and administration should work hand in hand to make the Kshipra clean with a green cover along the banks, he said He added that Government initiatives will not show concrete results until they transformed into mass movements.
Mahant Rameshwar Das also spoke on the occasion and explained the benefits of a green cover in our surroundings. He also praised the efforts of the forest department. Simhastha fair authority president Diwakar Natu, Iqbal Singh Gandhi, Surendra Singh Arora, Jila Panchayat CEO Sandeep GR and other citizens participated in the plantation drive. Energy minister Paras Jain and divisional commissioner MB Ojha inaugurated collection of poems written by joint commissioner Prateek Sonwalkar during the mass plantation drive ‘Haritima Abhiyan’.