Dharmendra Pradhan urges to make Sambalpur model city in tree plantation of India

Bhubaneswar, June 28 (UNI) Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today urged people from all walks of life-from the young to the elderly-to plant a tree in their mother’s name and help establish Sambalpur as a national model for tree plantation.

Speaking at the Van Mahotsav and mass tree plantation drive organised under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” campaign at Potapali in Sambalpur, Pradhan, who is also the Member of Parliament from Sambalpur, called for a new identity for the city rooted in environmental consciousness.

“Just as Sambalpur is renowned for Maa Samaleswari, Nuakhai, Sital Sasthi, and the Mahanadi River, it should now also be recognised as a city of tree plantation,” he said.
Joining hands with social organisations, students, volunteers, Matrushakti groups, and the general public, the Union Minister participated in a plantation drive at the Potapali site in the Burla section.

On the occasion, he administered an oath to the participants, urging them to commit to protecting the environment, including forests, rivers, lakes, and wildlife.

Pradhan highlighted that the Ministry of Education launched the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” campaign across the country on World Environment Day, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The second phase of the initiative aims to plant 10 crore trees nationwide, he said, adding that the core objective is to foster environmental protection and raise public awareness about the importance of tree plantation.

In alignment with this vision, the Sambalpur district administration and forest department have launched a local initiative to plant one lakh trees between June 5 and August 31, Pradhan said and praised this effort as commendable.

“To transform Sambalpur into a clean, green, and beautiful city, let us turn the slogan We Will Plant a Tree for Mother’ into a mass movement,” he said.”We will resolve to plant one lakh trees in the city by the end of August, the Union Minister stated.

He also suggested introducing innovative practices, such as gifting seeds to guests, and encouraged the public to minimise plastic usage and support the ban on single-use plastics.

Such actions, Pradhan said, would help realise the vision of a healthy, green, and developed Sambalpur.