The Union Environment Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has successfully achieved its ambitious target of planting 800 million seedlings under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign. Launched on World Environment Day in June, this nationwide initiative aimed to honor mothers by encouraging people to plant trees and pledge to protect the environment.
“This has been made possible through collective efforts of government agencies, village-level institutions, the local people, and other stakeholders,” the ministry stated. The campaign is a significant step in halting land degradation and promoting the restoration of degraded land across India.
Record-Breaking Plantation Drive in Rajasthan
Highlighting the scale of the campaign’s success, the ministry, in collaboration with the Territorial Army, set a world record by planting over 500,000 saplings in just one hour. The record was achieved on Sunday at seven different sites in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
“5,19,130 saplings in one hour! The 128 Bn Eco-Task Force and Territorial Army, in association with local communities and various organizations, registered a World Record of planting over 5 lakh saplings in one hour,” Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. He emphasized that this effort exemplifies “Janbhagidari” or public participation, under the #EkPedMaaKeNaam campaign, with widespread involvement from local communities, district authorities, NGOs, BSF, Home Guards, and schools.
Environmental Caution and Community Involvement
While celebrating this achievement, environmental experts have urged that such large-scale plantation drives must be carefully planned to align with local ecological conditions. They emphasized the importance of involving local communities who are familiar with the terrain and can ensure the long-term survival and growth of the planted saplings.
The “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, by integrating community participation and ecological awareness, aims to foster a culture of environmental stewardship and create lasting impacts on India’s landscape.
