Barwani collector turns Ankur Abhiyan into public movement
Around 80K saplings have been planted so far with people's contribution
BHOPAL/In the line of turning Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s ‘Ankur Abhiyan’ into a ‘public movement’, the district administration of Barwani has tagged a new feather in its cap by planting 6000 saplings in a few hours at the bank of the Narmada River, with the participation of various sections of society.
On the initiative of the collector of Barwani, Shivraj Singh, the people of the district along with the district administration have so far planted more than 70 thousand (excluding these 6000) saplings on several barren hills situated in the city and its outskirts. Interestingly, all plants are alive. Singh assumed charge as the district’s collector in July 2020, and since then he started the ‘movement of the plantation’ with public contribution. However, around 3.5 lakh saplings have also been planted in the district in the current rainy season so far under the Ankur campaign with the help of the forest department and the contribution of the public.
Ankur Abhiyan was started in June 2021 and is a state-wide flagship social programme of CM Chouhan to protect the environment and enhance awareness among the people for plantations.
On Saturday, over 6000 saplings were planted in around two hours on Dahi Baida hill situated at the bank of the Narmada near Amli village by a group of around 1000 people including officers and employees of the district administration and police, judiciary, students, environment enthusiasts, tree friends and social workers etc.
Narmada Yatri (pilgrims who circumambulate the holy river on foot) pass through Dahi Baida hill is dispersed over 40-acre and the plantation was carried out in an 18-acre area. The hill would be developed as another tourist place, said the collector.
For watering the plants, a drip irrigation system and a huge size tank for water storage have been set up at the hill by public contribution. A mega event of the plantation was organised at the hill site. Collector Singh along with his wife Pushpa Singh, principal district judge Anand Kumar Tiwari, SP Deepak Kumar Shukla, district judge Amit Kumar Sisodia, CEO Zila Panchayat Anil Kumar Damore, joint collector Anshu Jawala, SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar and WCD officer Ajay Gupta participated the event and they planted saplings.
“After joining, I have seen a curiosity among the people towards the environment and greenery, and several hills situated around the city were too without trees. We chalked out a plan with our officials and environment enthusiasts of the society. After then, our team engaged in turning people’s feelings into a public movement. And now around five barren hills transformed into as a ‘city forest’ and some of them a ‘tourist site'”, collector of Barwani Shivraj Singh told The Sun Today.
Keeping in mind the sustainable development goals, the Ankur Abhiyan is being run by the district administration with the public contribution. Greenery is being developed on the hills like a ‘city forest’ promoting ‘carbon credit’. Treated grey water is being used for watering plants. The campaign is a nailing example of ‘good governance’.
CM Chouhan has appreciated Barwani collector during a review meeting conducted with collectors. Chouhan had said that an excellent works had been done in the district under the Ankur Abhiyan.
