Shivraj Singh Chouhan will not accept garlands in his welcomes, what new tradition he favours on completion of five years of his one plant per day resolution
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan marked the completion of five years of his ‘One Plant Per Day’ resolution through a special programme today at A.P. Shinde Hall, Pusa, New Delhi. The programme has given birth to concrete steps towards transforming his personal vow into a national ‘green’ mass movement.
From the stage, Shivraj issued directives to begin all programmes of his departments with tree plantation, appealed to give photos of planted trees instead of mementos during welcomes, and proposed concepts like Tree Bank and the ‘Ankur’ platform.
The event was attended by Sadhvi Didi Maa Ritambhara, environmentalist Dr. Anil Joshi, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr. M.L. Jat, Smt. Sadhana Singh, senior journalist Ashutosh Jha, and other dignitaries. All guests performed tree plantation in the Pusa campus premises at the beginning of the occasion.
No more mementos, ‘Plant a tree and send photo’: A new tradition of honour
Shivraj Singh Chouhan shared an important personal decision regarding himself, stating that henceforth he will not accept flowers or garlands, shawls, or mementos in his welcomes. He said that often the honour is more for the position than the person, and when the position ends, the same crowd disappears; therefore, it is necessary to come out of this illusion.
Shivraj said if any institution or individual wants to welcome him, instead of a Rs. 500 memento, they should plant five saplings and gift him the photo – that alone will be a true felicitation for him. He also said that cloth shawls or garlands have no use afterwards, whereas trees planted with the same expense become a life-giving legacy for coming generations. He gave a clear message that his ministry and other organisers should adopt the tradition of planting trees and giving photos instead of mementos.
Every programme to start with tree plantation
Shivraj announced from the stage that:
• All programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture will now begin with tree plantation.
• Addressing the DG of ICAR, he said: “Every programme, seminar, conference, and event under ICAR will start only after planting a tree.”
• In the convocations of agricultural universities, trees will be planted first, and students will be made to pledge that they will plant a sapling on their birthday throughout their lives.
• Any event related to KVKs, agriculture colleges, and research will begin by planting a tree.
He said that when the agriculture department starts every programme by planting a tree, a large number of plants will naturally be planted in this way, and there could be no better beginning than this.
Senior journalist, writer, and thinker Ashutosh Jha appealed to everyone to adopt Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s tree plantation vow in life on this occasion, saying that in today’s hectic life, trees give peace to everyone; trees are not just plants, but they connect generations. He said that planting trees is a virtuous deed, everyone should have attachment to trees, and we should protect nature.