In tree plantation campaign 'One Tree in Name of Mother',

traditional trees like Neem, Peepal, Pakad, Banyan should be planted

Prayagraj, 11 July (HS): Senior Samajwadi leader and former

MP Kunwar Revati Raman Singh has expressed deep concern over the ground reality

of the government's One Tree in the Name of Mother tree plantation

campaign. He said that crores of rupees are being spent in the name of

environmental protection, but due to the lack of proper strategy and oversight,

this ambitious scheme has become merely a means of paperwork and photo-ops.

The former MP has highlighted the serious shortcomings of

the campaign and has also given practical suggestions to the government to make

it successful. Revati Raman Singh said that every year, a record number of

trees are planted during the monsoon season, but after planting, neither tree

guards are installed to protect them nor are there any arrangements for

watering them during the summer. As a result, more than 80 percent of the trees

die within a few months or become prey to cattle.

He questioned the technical flaws in tree planting, saying

that any tree is being planted anywhere without studying the soil and local

climate. Planting exotic or unsuitable species is not benefiting local

biodiversity.

A severe lack of accountability: Forest department and

administrative officials simply have the goal of planting trees. There is no

robust system for auditing or geo-tagging to determine whether the trees

survive after planting, which encourages corruption.

MP representative Vinay Kushwaha said that former MP Kunwar

Revati Raman Singh suggested that there should be a policy of adoption for one

year and the government should not only distribute the saplings but should also

entrust the responsibility of taking care of and protecting (tree-guard and

watering) that sapling to the concerned department or that person for at least

one year.

A third-party green audit should be conducted every six

months by an independent organization or NGO on the planted trees. Strict

action should be taken against officials or departments who only show trees on

paper.

Priority to traditional and medicinal plants: In the campaign,

priority should be given to traditional and long-lived trees like Neem, Peepal,

Banyan, Pakad, Mahua and Jamun, which last for years and give huge amount of

oxygen.

Public participation should be encouraged. The public should

not be involved only in a one-day event, but the citizen who keeps the tree he

planted alive for 3 years should be given tax exemption or special incentive

amount by the government. The former MP warned that if the government doesn't

improve its tree-planting practices, this campaign, like previous ones, will

simply be a waste of the public's hard-earned money. The environment needs real

action on the ground, not slogans.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi