A hashtag challenge for public & policy makers

Thiruvananthapuram: #MarginTreeChallenge, a new hashtag challenge launched by the green activists in the city is gaining momentum.
The campaign launched by project STHITHI under the Change Can Change Climate Change, an initiative of district administration, has challenged the entire 20 MPs of the state to plant tree saplings equal to the margin of the votes they received in the recent parliament election. The saplings can be planted across the constituencies with the active participation of the public and public institutions such as schools, colleges, hospitals and other government offices.
The programme will be kicked off at Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School at Kowdiar here at 10am on Monday and then at Concordia Lutheran Higher Secondary School, Kudappanakkunnu here. Students will plant around 20 saplings and then challenge Shashi Tharoor MP to take up the challenge by planting one lakh tree saplings close to his victory margin.
According to Bharath Govind G S, project coordinator of STHITHI, the challenge was a key step for sustainable solution to counter climate change.
“Climate change has become one of the most dominant problems that poses a threat to the country and its future. As per the reports of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change around 50% - 70% greenhouse gas emissions are essential to re-stabilize our climate. Since it is the right time to begin with policy makers, the project aims to plant 20 trees each by the MPs of Kerala and urges them to take up the challenge by planting equal to the margin of their victory”, says Govind.
The organizers have already contacted MPs of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
“We have also planned to bring the challengeto the Prime Minister’s attention by submitting a mass memorandum, requesting him to motivate all MPs of the country to take forward the challenge to conserve the nature. We hope that this would inspire many people to plant trees at their residences and offices. Project STHITHI also proposes a ‘buffer zone’ which aims to set up artificial forests at all hospitals,” he said.