MLA Ghanshyam Dass Arora inaugurates campaign at Jindal Park; civic body aims to turn plantation into a citywide people’s movement
Yamunanagar | Pen of Democracy News Desk
In a major step towards promoting environmental conservation and expanding the city’s green cover, the Yamunanagar Municipal Corporation on Thursday formally launched its ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation campaign, with an ambitious target of planting 2,700 saplings across the city.
The campaign was inaugurated at Jindal Park, where Yamunanagar MLA Ghanshyam Dass Arora planted the first sapling in the presence of Additional Municipal Commissioner Dheeraj Kumar, Chief Sanitation Inspector Vinod Beniwal, Chief Sanitation Inspector Govind Sharma, Councillor Manu Krishna Singla, and several prominent citizens. A total of 101 saplings were planted during the inaugural event to spread the message of environmental protection and sustainable urban development.
Addressing the gathering, MLA Ghanshyam Dass Arora urged residents not only to plant trees but also to nurture and protect them with the same care and affection that a mother gives to her children.
“The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign is much more than a plantation drive. It symbolises our respect for mothers and our responsibility towards nature. Just as a mother nurtures life, trees sustain humanity by providing oxygen, shade and a healthy environment,” he said.
Councillors, students and local residents plant saplings during the citywide ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign across various municipal wards.
Highlighting the importance of increasing the city’s green cover, the MLA said plantation is essential for maintaining ecological balance and combating rising environmental challenges.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Dheeraj Kumar said the Municipal Corporation is making sustained efforts to transform Yamunanagar into a cleaner, greener and pollution-free city. He said the objective of the campaign is not merely to plant saplings but to ensure their survival and healthy growth.
“We are involving ward councillors, schoolchildren and social organisations so that every sapling planted today grows into a healthy tree in the years to come,” he said.
One of the key features of the campaign is its citywide implementation. Instead of limiting plantation activities to a single location, the Municipal Corporation launched simultaneous drives across all municipal wards.
Councillors, ward committee members, school students, volunteers and representatives of various social organisations participated enthusiastically by planting saplings in parks, schools, roadside green belts and vacant public land.
In Ward No. 3, Jagadhri, Nishchal Chaudhary, son of former Cabinet Minister Kanwar Pal, joined Councillor Jayant Swami and schoolchildren in a plantation drive and also distributed saplings among students to encourage environmental awareness from a young age.
Under the campaign, priority is being given to planting indigenous tree species that provide long-term ecological benefits. The plantation plan includes shade-giving and culturally significant trees such as Banyan, Neem and Peepal, along with fruit-bearing and medicinal species including Jamun, Amla, Mango and Tamarind.
The Municipal Corporation has planned to plant 200 saplings each in Wards 1, 3, 4, 11, 12, 18 and 19, while 50 saplings will be planted in each of the remaining wards. Additional plantations will also be carried out in public parks, educational institutions, roadsides and other available open spaces across the city.
Officials said the campaign seeks to develop public participation in environmental conservation while creating a greener and healthier urban landscape for future generations.
