Gurugram : More than one lakh saplings have been planted across Gurugram district under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (A Tree in the Name of Mother) campaign being carried out across Haryana on the directions of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The plantation drive has witnessed active participation from government departments as well as citizens, turning the initiative into a broader public movement for environmental conservation.
District Forest Officer Surendra Dangi said the Forest Department has planted around 1.10 lakh saplings as part of the campaign. He said, on the directions of Haryana Forest, Environment and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh, priority has been given to plant species suited to the local environment and the ecological conditions of the Aravalli region.
The selection of locally suitable species is aimed not only at increasing Gurugram’s green cover but also at protecting and strengthening the biodiversity of the Aravallis.
According to Dangi, citizens have independently planted more than 10,000 saplings, while the Forest Department has also made around one lakh additional saplings available to residents so that they can participate by planting trees at their homes, institutions, parks and other suitable locations.
Focus on Survival and Care of Saplings
The Forest Department is placing equal emphasis on the protection and maintenance of planted saplings, rather than limiting the campaign to plantation alone.
Regular monitoring, watering and protection of saplings are being encouraged at various locations, with institutions and citizens being urged to take responsibility for their upkeep.
Dangi stressed that plantation efforts can deliver lasting environmental benefits only when the saplings are properly nurtured and allowed to grow into healthy trees.
He noted that Gurugram is experiencing rapid urbanisation, making expansion of its green cover increasingly important. The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, he said, also creates an emotional connection with environmental protection, enabling citizens to plant and care for a tree in honour of their mothers.
Call for Greater Public Participation
Dangi appealed to residents to make the campaign a part of their daily environmental responsibility by planting more trees and ensuring their survival.
He said the Aravalli range is an important part of Gurugram’s natural identity, and protecting the region requires greater promotion of native species and expansion of green cover.
The Forest Department has urged citizens to make use of the saplings being provided and to treat their long-term care and protection as equally important as planting them.
Dangi said collective participation by government agencies, institutions and citizens can help create a cleaner, greener and healthier Gurugram, while ensuring a safer environment for future generations.