Aarogya Vatika: Students urged to plant trees

Lucknow: Heatwaves have been intensifying in recent years. While people are being educated on how to protect themselves, discussions about climate change remain limited.
This concern was highlighted at an event held at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Degree College in Surendranagar. Rajesh Pandey, retired IG and UPEIDA nodal officer, emphasised the importance of increasing greenery to combat rising temperatures.Speaking at the NBT Aarogya Vatika 2.0 programme, he encouraged students to support the ‘Har Ghar Hariyali' campaign by planting trees. He also stressed the need for proper waste management, urging people to separate dry and wet waste and use organic composting to grow vegetables at home.
Environmental experts pointed out that the temperature rise predicted for 2050 has already occurred, 25 years ahead of schedule. They advocated for planting more trees and increasing the use of CNG vehicles to address climate change. Zonal officer Akash Kumar noted that with the city's growing population, managing waste is becoming increasingly challenging, despite significant spending on disposal efforts.
Additional municipal commissioner Arun Gupta emphasised the need to balance development with environmental protection. He announced that students contributing to environmental protection by planting trees would receive certificates.
College principal SC Pandey encouraged students to plant trees and use kitchen waste to create organic compost. The event concluded with the distribution of medicinal and vegetable plants.