Green man of India is building micro-forests across his state so that we can have better air.
It is no secret that our environment has paid the price for our rampant development activities. From wood demand to clearing the land for construction/agriculture, trees are regarded as disposable, and their felling, non-consequential. However, there are serious consequences to our abuse of the environment. One IRS Officer from Ludhiana has realised that we need to undo the damage we cause to mother earth and soon.
Rohit Mehra of the Indian Revenue Services has successfully created 75 human-made forests. Panning across India, the ‘mini-forests’ range from 2,000 square feet to 66,000 square feet in area in about three years. These forests have been his personal undertaking, and he hasn’t taken any payment for his good work. It is his way of giving back to Earth that has sustained us for so long.
According to ANI, the primary motivation behind this endeavour is to reduce air pollution. It is a crucial thing to do because as per the IQair 2019 ranking, 14 of the 20 world’s most polluted cities happen to be in India.
In an interview with AN, he elaborated on his vision for these forests. He referred to the time, three years ago, when schools in Ludhiana were closed due to the extreme level of air pollution. “If it continues, people will have to carry oxygen cylinders in the next ten years. After this, I thought to work for the betterment of environment and people,” he said.
For creating his forests, Mehra has used ancient Vriksh Ayurveda and Miyawaki, methods. Nurtured with this ancient knowledge, the trees are said to be growing 10 times faster than regular. They are also nearly 30 times denser with greater biodiversity. His saplings have grown as much as 17 feet in one year. With so many trees around, it’s only natural that tree-dwellers would visit. Due to his diligent efforts, many birds have
returned to the forests, even those who had abandoned the area.
He is also credited with the idea of Nanak vans, his tribute to honour Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak.
According to the Tribune, this is a way to use agricultural waste as fertilizers and reduce both air as well as solid waste pollution.
Mehra has been featured in the Limca book of records for a previous green achievement. He was the first to plant vertical gardens in the region at the Ludhiana Ayakar Bhawan.